Major car brand to be revived after 14 years with ‘entirely new vehicle’ that will rival huge off-roader
A HUGE car brand is set to be brought back after 14 years with an "entirely new vehicle" that will rival one major off-roader.
The sparkling set of wheels is catching the attention of off-roaders now the Chinese-funded motor is back on the scene.
Spanish 4x4 manufacturer Santana has been given a new lease of life thanks to backing from Chinese firm Zhengzhou Nissan.
Together they have produced a brand spanking new model which offers a choice of diesel and plug-in hybrid powertrains.
The motor is "designed for -if-road enthusiasts" and is said to contend with the iconic Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster - a rugged, trusty pick-up truck.
Information about Santana's new vehicle has been kept very hush-hush with images simply showing a cloaked car.
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The sultry silhouette of the motor teases its chunky shape, but that's about it.
Santana promised fans it would reveal the entire model range at the end of 2-25.
The motors are being produced in the former Santana plant in Linares, Spain.
Santana was originally founded in 1956 as Metalúrgica de Santa Ana S.A and began manufacturing Land Rovers under licence in Spain a couple of years later.
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By 1980, it had permission to develop its own versions of Land Rover models, giving rise to vehicles like the compact, agile Ligero and the reliable PS-10.
In 1985, Santana teamed up with Suzuki, producing licensed iterations of the Samurai, Jimny, and Vitara.
It later built a revamped version of the PS-10 for Iveco - dubbed the Massif, likely chosen to align with the vehicle's off-road capabilities
However, disappointing sales led Iveco to pull the plug, effectively sealing Santana's fate.
In 2011, the Regional Government of Andalusia, which owned the company, made the decision to shut down Santana Motor and its manufacturing plant.
This resulted in a whopping 1,341 employees being laid off or taking early retirement and the car-maker was liquidated.
It's now been revived by Zhengzhou Nissan, which is a joint venture of Nissan and Dongfeng.
Santana isn't the only Spanish manufacturer to have been resurrected with Chinese investment lately.
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Former truck manufacturer Ebro has made a comeback, supported by Chery, and now assembles rebadged Tiggo SUVs at an ex-Nissan plant in Barcelona.
Chery is a Chinese automobile manufacturer owned by Chery Holding Group Co., Ltd. and is one of the largest car companies in China.