Quality, reliability and affordability is what
will see Datsun dance its way to the cash registers, says its maker. Time to
hit the dance floor
It’s a
tough time for Nissan in India. Thanks to a rather unceremonious fall-out with
its sales and marketing partner Hover over missed targets, it’s back to square
one for the latest Japanese entrant to India. While it battles it out in court
with its erstwhile partner, Nissan now has to regroup its dealer network and
win the trust of Indian customers all over again while wiping out any doubts
that might creep in over its long-term plans in India.
The indicated 165 km/h top speed is impressive
and at that speed, the Go felt quite stable
There has
never been any doubt about its long term intent. While it outsourced its sales
and marketing in India (as it has done successfully in some other countries),
it simultaneously went about firming up its manufacturing base through its
joint venture with group company Renault. The plant near Chennai is one of its
best worldwide, with massive capacity and at a cost that allows it to build and
export many models profitably.
Amongst all
this mess, Datsun is here. At first, it may seem like just bad timing but on
second thoughts, it couldn’t have been better. Surely, initial sales enquiries
might be hampered with the dealerships undergoing an ownership transition but
the return of the Datsun brand is sending out good vibes being hailed as a
global automotive landmark even though it’ll be seen in only four countries
globally.
The Datsun Go comes powered by a 1.2 litre engine that produces 104 Nm of torque at 4,000 RPM
that is more than sufficient to rapidly accelerate and place the Go at 100 km/hr in under 13.3 seconds
Understandably,
the first Datsun for India is its hatchback city car – Go. It’s a remarkable
rebirth because almost a century ago, the first Datsun ever made was called
DAT-GO. It’s a return of the brand and a return of the model of sorts. While it
looks all new, the Go borrows judiciously from its stable mate, the Nissan Micra. Many elements of the chassis and the engine are
carried over. Which explains the near identical dimensions of
the Go when compared to the Micra. Just that
the Datsun has more ground clearance. To many, the similarities are not
noticeable because all the exterior body panels and lights, and most of the
interior, are different.
Despite its
humble price tag – proudly claimed to be significantly under `4 lakh – the Go
does a good job in the looks department. Thankfully, the Go’s designers and the
corporate honchos who finally sign off the design have agreed that something
that’s cheap to buy doesn’t need be cheap to look at.
Inside door handles borrowed from the Nissan
parts bin. Plastic is decent quality though
It’s a
wholesome design dominated by a prominent diamond- shaped grille with a
honeycomb mesh. Four large air intakes on the bumper and large headlamps give
the Go a clean and handsome face. Unlike the Micra,
which has a circular theme, the Go has sharp and smart
lines and edges. Like the smart shoulder line emerging from the headlamp and
running across the front wing all the way to the middle of the rear door where
it droops. And there is a second line that rises to the rear flanks and merges
into the rear tail lamp. The rear is more plain than simple. It is neither
exciting nor boring. There are some low points though
– the front bonnet gap is prominent and despite the regulation 13-inch tyres, they look tiny in the huge wheel well. Even so, the
Go does qualify to be deemed a good-looker.
Mobile docking station means you only use your
smartphone in place of a basic music system
The insides
are generously spacious. This isn’t exactly a tiny city hatch. The layout is
tastefully Spartan with decent quality plastic and very few rough edges. While
there are quite a few storage spaces, none of them – including the glove box –
are lockable. Which means all the clutter inside is visible. But there are two
very interesting aspects to the Go. First, the front seats where the
co-passenger’s seat extends towards the driver. You might think that Datsun is
being cheeky and suggesting a third passenger sit upfront – which knowing
Indian mentality is all too possible. But what the maker suggests is that the
provision is simply to allow the driver to slide out of the front left side in
case the car has to be parked in a constrained place on the right side. Also,
it is more convenient to keep a bag or a phone. Of course, this arrangement
also made sure Nissan engineers didn’t have to create a separate storage
console in the centre, saving additional costs.
