Datsun Cars to Share Platform with Lada

Nissan Motor Co. tells Automotive News Europe that its upcoming line of low-price Datsun small cars will ride on the same Nissan platform that carries Russia's new Lada Kalina.

The platform, dubbed V (for versatile), already carries Nissan's March and Versa small cars.

Nissan plans to reintroduce the Datsun brand which it dropped 30 years ago in India, Indonesia and Russia in 2014. The company tells ANE it will unveil its first two models at the end of this year and add a third in 2015.

Nissan plans to produce Datsuns for the Russian market at the AvtoVAZ assembly plant in Togliatti. The facility also makes Lada cars. Last month Nissan and alliance partner Renault SA finalized a deal to gain a controlling stake in AvtoVAZ, which will produce cars for all three companies to sell under their own brands.