The Japanese auto giant Nissan (NSANY) is resurrecting the Datsun, the once-ubiquitous line of roadsters that had its heyday in Britain and America in the 1970s. The new Datsuns will be released in India, Russia and Indonesia as part of Nissan's push to expand in the fiercely competitive emerging markets. 

But the news is causing a buzz here, too, as nostalgic car owners recall the vehicles of their youth.

Why were Datsuns so popular? The peak of Datsun's popularity came in the 1970s as the Arab oil embargo of 1973 caused prices at the pump to spike. Datsuns stood out for being affordable and fuel-efficient and were "packed with up-to-the-minute technology" that enticed a younger crowd, says Ray Massey at Britain's The Daily Mail. Datsuns also featured a sporty look that reminded consumers of more costly BMWs (BAMXF) and Porsches (POAHY).

Why were Datsuns shelved? Nissan has owned the Datsun name since 1933, but it began fazing it out in 1981 "as part of a global strategy to strengthen the company name," says Caroline Winter at Bloomberg Businessweek. The decision "proved to be a disaster." Everyone in the West recognized Datsun, but few had heard of Nissan. The company's worldwide sales plummeted. Nissan likely lost hundreds of millions of dollars, and in the process fell behind its two main Japanese competitors, Toyota (TM) and Honda (HMC).

So after all that, it's being brought back? Yes. Nissan wants to compete in cheaper markets but doesn't want to sully its current models with lower prices. So the automaker is dusting off the old brand and giving it another whirl. Nissan executives say the Datsun's reputation for being affordable is a perfect fit for emerging economies, where it plans to sell cars to consumers who are "up and coming" and "optimistic about the future." 

Will they be a hit? Datsuns still enjoy a degree of name and aesthetic recognition. And the middle class in Indonesia, India and Russia is expected to grow. But it will be hard competing with other cheap vehicles that have flooded the market, including the $3,000 Nano, which is manufactured by Indian car company Tata Motors (TTM).

Sources: Agence France-Presse, The Associated Press, Bloomberg Businessweek, The Daily Mail

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