Datsun Logo

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

The Datsun emblem pairs a circular frame with a bold nameplate, reflecting a heritage that links early Japanese motoring with Nissan's global expansion. Its blue-centered modern badge gives the name a clean, practical character rooted in accessible, dependable cars.

Official website
Live logo URL
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Datsun full

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Choose the right Datsun asset

Start with the shape that fits the slot, then tune size and format in the URL.

Full logo

Best for directories, marketplace cards, comparison pages, and any surface where the complete mark has room to breathe.

Badge

Best for compact UI: filters, tables, saved vehicles, mobile lists, and favicon-like brand slots.

Wordmark

Best when the manufacturer name needs to stay legible in headers, partner lists, and editorial pages.

Implementation

Use the Datsun logo across your stack.

Copy a real CDN URL, then keep the same asset working in markup, components, native apps, and data calls.

Use it in any stack
One keyed Motomarks URL works in plain markup, component frameworks, native image loaders, and API-backed views.
logo.html
1<img2  src="https://motomarks.io/img/datsun?token=YOUR_API_KEY"3  alt="Datsun logo"4  width="128"5  height="128"6  loading="lazy"7/>

Need more than the image?

Fetch the brand record when your UI also needs metadata, ordered colors, or attribution context.

GET https://api.motomarks.io/brands/datsun
Authorization: Bearer YOUR_SECRET_KEY
Read the API docs

Reference

More about Datsun.

Brand history, logo changes, color notes, usage examples, and common questions.

What makes this mark recognizable?

Identity cues, heritage, and visual details to keep in mind before the asset lands in your UI.

Datsun traces its name to the early DAT automobile business in Japan, with the small car name changed from Datson to Datsun in the 1930s after Nissan took control. Historic Datsun emblems often used a roundel with a horizontal nameplate, a layout that visually connected the brand to Nissan's own badge tradition.

The blue-and-silver Datsun badge introduced for the 2013 revival kept the central name bar and circular frame, using a cleaner, more global identity for emerging-market models. Nissan ended production of Datsun vehicles in 2022, but the name remains closely associated with affordable Japanese cars and export-era models such as the 240Z and 510.

First color in the reference palette

Motomarks records #0072BC as the primary Datsun reference color, with any alternate swatches listed in the color reference and API response.

How the mark got here

The identity shifts that explain the Datsun logo in use today.

Origins

The Datsun story begins with the DAT name, created from the initials of investors Kenjiro Den, Rokuro Aoyama, and Meitaro Takeuchi, and linked to the Kwaishinsha Motor Car Works founded by Masujiro Hashimoto. In 1931, a smaller DAT car was named Datson, meaning the son of DAT. The name was changed to Datsun after Nissan's predecessor took over, in part because 'son' could be read unfavorably in Japanese, while 'sun' connected naturally with Japan's national symbolism.

Nissan export era

Datsun became the export-facing name for many Nissan vehicles, especially in North America, Europe, Australia, and other markets. Cars such as the Datsun 510, 240Z, and compact pickups helped establish Nissan's reputation outside Japan during the 1960s and 1970s. The brand name appeared on vehicles that emphasized value, mechanical simplicity, and broad market accessibility.

Transition to Nissan

In the early 1980s, Nissan began phasing out the Datsun name in favor of a unified global Nissan identity. This transition placed the corporate name directly on vehicles and marketing materials, ending Datsun's main export-brand role. The change also aligned dealership, motorsport, and product communications under one manufacturer name.

Revival and discontinuation

Nissan revived Datsun in 2013 as a value-oriented brand for markets including India, Indonesia, Russia, and South Africa. The modern Datsun identity used a blue badge with a silver ring and horizontal nameplate, visually echoing earlier roundel traditions while giving the brand a cleaner contemporary look. Nissan later withdrew from the revival strategy, and Datsun vehicle production ended in 2022.

When the logo changed

A compact record of redesigns, visual turns, and the reasons the mark moved.

1930s

DAT and early Datsun naming

Early branding grew from the DAT name and the small-car Datson identity, which was soon changed to Datsun. The name itself became the key identifier before a more consistent export badge system developed.

Reason for redesign: The name change from Datson to Datsun reflected linguistic and cultural considerations and connected the brand more positively with Japan's sun symbolism.

1930s

Roundel and horizontal nameplate tradition

Datsun badges adopted a circular motif with a horizontal bar carrying the brand name, a configuration closely related to Nissan's long-running badge architecture.

Reason for redesign: The roundel format provided a simple vehicle badge suitable for grilles, bonnets, and export-market recognition.

1960s

Export-era model badging

During the major export period, Datsun vehicles often used straightforward wordmarks and model-specific scripts alongside grille and body badges. The branding prioritized readability and practical identification across international markets.

Reason for redesign: As Nissan expanded globally, Datsun needed flexible badging that could work across sedans, sports cars, pickups, and dealer materials.

1980s

Datsun name phased out

Nissan gradually replaced Datsun branding on vehicles and advertising with the Nissan name. The Datsun logo became less visible as the manufacturer consolidated its global identity.

Reason for redesign: Nissan wanted a single worldwide corporate and product identity rather than separate domestic and export names.

2013

Modern blue Datsun badge

The revived identity used a blue central nameplate with white DATSUN lettering, set within a silver circular frame. It retained the historic roundel-and-bar idea while presenting a cleaner, modern automotive badge.

Reason for redesign: Nissan revived Datsun as an entry-level brand for selected emerging markets and needed a distinct identity that still referenced the marque's heritage.

What to preserve in production

Shape, color, and type cues that keep Datsun recognizable at app scale.

Composition

The modern Datsun badge is built around a circular metallic frame with a horizontal blue bar across the center. This creates a strong grille-badge silhouette and echoes the classic automotive roundel format associated with Nissan and Datsun history.

Symbol

The circular element suggests continuity, mobility, and mechanical completeness, while the nameplate emphasizes direct brand recognition. The Datsun name also carries an indirect connection to the sun, which became part of the brand's positive Japanese identity after the early Datson spelling was dropped.

Lettering

The revived badge uses uppercase sans-serif lettering with wide, clear forms for legibility on vehicles, dealer signs, and digital interfaces. The wordmark is intentionally simple, matching Datsun's role as a practical value brand rather than a luxury marque.

Color

Blue is the dominant brand color in the modern identity, supported by white lettering and a silver metallic frame. The palette communicates dependability, clarity, and an approachable automotive character.

Shape

The badge combines a circle and a horizontal rectangle, giving it a balanced, symmetrical structure. The rectangle acts like a nameplate across the roundel, a layout with deep roots in Nissan-related vehicle badging.

Heritage

Datsun's logo heritage is inseparable from the DAT name, Nissan's early corporate development, and the export period that made the marque familiar outside Japan. The 2013 badge deliberately reused the roundel concept to give the revived brand historical continuity.

Market context

Datsun is culturally important as the export name through which many international buyers first encountered Nissan vehicles. The name is especially associated with affordable Japanese engineering, compact sedans, pickups, and sports cars from the postwar growth period.

Design logic

The identity favors clarity, recognition, and functional vehicle badging. Its visual language is not decorative or experimental, instead it supports Datsun's positioning around value, simplicity, and reliable everyday transportation.

Where teams place it

Common product surfaces where Datsun assets need to stay clear, consistent, and fast.

Vehicle grille and rear badging

Vehicle owners and service teams

The Datsun emblem was used on the front grille and rear of revived models such as the GO and redi-GO, where the circular badge format worked as a physical automotive mark.

Dealer signage and market launch materials

Dealers

During the 2013 revival, the blue Datsun identity appeared on dealer environments, market launch campaigns, and value-brand sales materials in selected countries.

Digital product listings

Product teams

Automotive marketplaces and catalog systems use the Datsun logo to identify discontinued models, used cars, specifications, and service information under the correct marque.

Parts, service, and documentation

Service networks

The Datsun name remains relevant in parts catalogs, owner's documentation, heritage references, and used-vehicle service workflows for both historic and revived models.

Answers before you ship

Format, usage, attribution, and history notes for the Datsun logo.

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