Like Lamborghini, the story of Santana is that of an agricultural manufacturer evolved to car producer. A giant who lived his golden age in collaboration with brands such as Land Rover and Suzuki, and who ended up closing in 2011.
But Chinese conglomerates have a plan for Spanish brands. Chery resurrected Ebro. And Zhengzhou Nissan Automobile, along with Anhui Coronet, will be responsible for returning Santana to life.
Made in Jaen. Santana Motors has closed an alliance with Zhengzhou Nissan Automobile, joint venture formed by Dongfeng Motor and Nissan, and Anhui Coronet. On the names we will deepen soon, but the key in the resurgence of Santana is in the return to its origins: Jaén. The new cars of Santana will be manufactured in the Andalusian city, with an initial investment of five million euros and the promise of creating up to 200 jobs.
Chinese manufacturers begin to see in Spain a good destination in which to establish themselves to avoid tariffs on vehicle imports, and the strategy of rescuing traditional brands begins to be a trend.
A BRIEF HISTORICAL REVIEW. Santana was born in 1956 as Metallurgical Santa Ana, initially focused on manufacturing tractors and agricultural machinery. Years later, in 1961, he closed an important alliance with Land Rover to produce vehicles under his license, giving rise to the mythical Land Rover Santana. After his foray into the automobile world, Santana changes his name to Santana Motor, and begins to make own vehicles derived from Land Rover.
Entering the 80s, they close a new alliance with Suzuki, to produce models as popular as the samurai and create own models such as Santana 3000, with the base of the classic Suzuki Vitara. After the decline of Land Rover in 2000, the end of the alliance with Suzuki in 2009 and the lack of commercial success in its own vehicles, Santana ended up declaring bankruptcy in 2011.
The dance of Chinese names. In 1993, Nissan Motor (the classic Nissan you know) and the Chinese companies Zhengzhou Light Vehicle Co. and Citic Group created a joint company: Zhengzhou Nissan Automobile Co., Ltd. (ZNA). Nissan needed a local alliance to manufacture, sell and expand through China, and ended up finding it.
-In 2017, another Chinese giant, Dongfeng (one of the great manufacturers in China with Byd, Saic Motor and Chery), acquired majority participation in ZNA. The summary of this name dance is that Nissan has a way to manufacture and launch product in China thanks to the support of Chinese groups, with electric such as its recent N7.
What will Santana manufacture. Although it is in new hands, Santana will maintain its essence. One in which the 4×4 robust vehicle was its main pilar. Jaén will produce plug -in hybrid cars (PHEV) and diesel versions, without transcending more concrete details about possible models.
The Santana Motors, Zhengzhou Nissan Automobile and Anhui Coronet teams will resurface the Spanish whole-all, with the aim of selling it in Europe, Africa and America.
Following the steps of Ebro. The Resurgir de Santana remembers, and much, that of the Spanish manufacturer Ebro. Chery Motor has returned to life a company that will manufacture in the plants that Nissan will leave in Barcelona. One that was born in 1954, had its golden age in the 70s, and ended up breaking in the late 80s.
China pressed so that Spain does not support the tariff punishment to China by Europe, and the country is beginning to reward bringing part of its local production to our territory.
Image | Jwvein
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