Datsun name could return

The Datsun brand could return, selling ultra low-cost cars under the wing of Nissan.

While company chiefs are unwilling to confirm the Japanese brand's return, Renault-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn believes low-cost cars will be a key market in the near future.

The suggestion is that Datsun could be Nissan's Dacia. Renault will have Dacia cars in its showrooms by the end of the year, when the 10,000 Dacia Duster arrives.

Ghosn also believes Nissan's premium brand, Infiniti, will undego significant growth, despite sluggish early sales. 'We're losing our shirt in the premium market at the moment, but are profitable further down the range,' he said. 'Whereas most car companies have the opposite problem.'

At the Geneva motor show, many car companies showcased advanced mobile technology, with the Ford SYNC system and the infotainment system in the Mercedes A-Class some of the most notable. As car electronics get ever-more sophisticated, Ghosn said he expects more alliances between car companies and tech companies such as Google and Microsoft.

Steve Huntingford