For many, the Datsun brand is a vague memory from before their time in the automotive universe. For others, it's a fond memory of affordable Z cars that ran with much more expensive sports cars or small, efficient, and reliable commuters. For those in Indonesia, India, and Russian, Datsun is soon to be a new budget brand.

Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn announced the return of the Datsun nameplate this week, saying it would be used in emerging markets for green, affordable cars with high percentages of locally-sourced content, reports Reuters.

While the move isn't directly relevant to U.S. buyers, it does show Nissan is getting more serious about moving into new markets, where much of the coming growth in the industry over the next decade is expected to take place, particularly in India and Russia.

The return of the Datsun brand comes after more than 30 years of dormancy. The last Datsuns were discontinued in 1981 as the company switched to its Nissan brand. No plans to bring the Datsun brand back to the U.S. have yet been announced.