Spanish Santana returns under Chinese Nissan joint venture, sharing platform with Nissan Frontier Pro
The Spanish Santana brand, founded in the 1950s, is now progressing with confirmed specifications and pricing for its first pickups under a Chinese-Japanese joint venture, according to Auto-home. Santana previously licensed production of Land Rover vehicles in 1958, began manufacturing Suzuki Jimny models in 1986, and later produced its own off-road vehicles, which received military contracts. Production ceased in 2011 due to declining sales and financial difficulties.
The revival will first introduce two pickup models: the 400D diesel and the 400 PHEV plug-in hybrid, both based on the Dongfeng Z9 platform, produced by the Zhengzhou Nissan joint venture. Both models share the same exterior and interior designs as the Z9, including a 14.6-inch central touchscreen, heated and ventilated seats, and a driver-assistance system. The diesel 400D is priced at 370,300 yuan (approximately 47,100 USD), while the plug-in hybrid 400 PHEV costs 247,700 yuan (approximately 29,900 USD). For comparison, the Ford Ranger is priced at 257,200 yuan (approximately 31,050 USD) in Spain.
The 400D model is powered by a 2.3-litre turbocharged diesel engine producing 190 horsepower (140 kilowatts) and 500 newton-meters of torque, paired with either a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission. The 400 PHEV combines a 1.5-litre turbocharged gasoline engine with an electric drive system, producing 315 kilowatts and 800 newton-meters of torque. It accelerates from 0–100 km/h in 6.5 seconds and offers a pure electric range of 120 kilometres.
In addition, BAIC will participate by assembling the BJ40 and BJ30 off-road models from mid-2026 and plans to develop Santana-exclusive vehicles based on BAIC platforms in the future. The Nissan Frontier Pro is the Nissan-branded version of the same Dongfeng Z9 platform. The rebadged Santana pickups and future BAIC-based models will enter the European and Chinese off-road segments, with specifications and pricing comparable to those of established competitors.
