Company overview
Santana Motor, S.A., based in Linares, Spain, was initially established in 1956 as Metalúrgica de Santa Ana to manufacture agricultural machinery. In 1961, the company began producing off-road vehicles under license from Land Rover. From 1958 to 1983, Santana built and sold Series Land Rovers in CKD form. The company developed its own versions of the Land Rover, leading to a name change in 1968. In the early 1980s, Santana partnered with Suzuki, producing licensed versions of models like the Jimny and Vitara. By 1995, Suzuki’s stake increased, and Santana shifted entirely to Suzuki production. In 2006, a collaboration with Iveco resulted in the Massif, a rebadged Santana. However, declining sales led to closure in 2011, with a workforce of over 1,300 affected. In October 2025, a consortium led by Zhengzhou Nissan revived the brand, restarting production with the Santana 400, a rebadged Dongfeng Z9. Current models include the Santana 400, available as a diesel and plug-in hybrid.
