Santana has unveiled its SUV, which is derived from a BAIC model
- Santana Motors was an independent Spanish small car manufacturer that held a factory license to produce vehicles from other brands from 1985 to 2003, including the Suzuki Vitara SUV from 2000 to 2005 and the Iveco Massif and Campagnola SUVs from 2006 to 2011. Santana went bankrupt in 2011 and ceased production by 2026.
- In 2025, an agreement was signed between Santana and a Chinese consortium. This joint venture also includes the Chinese manufacturer Dongfeng and the Japanese manufacturer Nissan. The goal was to produce the Dongfeng Z9 and the Nissan Frontier in China using SKD (skim-cut die) assembly. To mark this occasion, the Santana 400 was created. The model has now been unveiled and will be assembled in Linares, using SKD assembly starting in autumn 2026.
- Another agreement was reached during negotiations between Santana and the Chinese manufacturer BAIC. The SUV will be manufactured in China under the BAIC brand. The currently available top model, the Santana Cajal, is a BAIC BJ40 SUV produced in China and has no comparable vehicles on the European market.
- SKD assembly of the Santana Cajal is scheduled to begin in autumn 2026 at the Linares plant. It's an old-school SUV, a true off-roader embodying the philosophy of the Toyota Land Cruiser, Land Rover Defender, Ineos Grenadier, or Ford Bronco. The Cajal will be powered by a 163 hp diesel engine, a 245 hp gasoline engine, or a plug-in hybrid powertrain adopted from the BAIC model.