Nissan Reveals Datsun Go Hatch for India, Other Emerging Markets

Datsun, the resurrected Nissan brand, has revealed its first new car that will launch in India next year. The Datsun Go is a simple, affordable four-door hatchback that will also be sold in Indonesia, Russia, and South Africa.

Nissan announced last March that it would resurrect the Datsun name for a line of low-cost cars for emerging markets. The new Datsun Go measures 149.0 inches long and 64.4 inches wide, putting it close in size to a Mazda2 hatchback. A 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine and five-speed manual transmission route power to the front wheels. There is no built-in radio, but Datsun says the new car features a smartphone dock for playing music. The Go will cost the equivalent of $6700.

“This is an historic day for Nissan Motor Company and for our customers,” Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn said in a statement. “It’s also an exciting moment for many women and men here in India who — today — come one step closer to realizing the dream of purchasing a car.”

Although Datsun pitches the Go as a first car for many families, the company promises the Go is not a stripped-down car. It is said to be, “high-quality, stylish and modern, delivering an engaging driving experience.” Datsun will build the Go in Chennai, India, and also plans to launch a range of other new low-cost cars next year. Much of the engineering work for the car was also completed in India, although the styling was done by Nissan’s designers in Japan.

Nissan has no plans to sell Datsun cars in the U.S. or Europe. The company’s goal is to have a totally separate brand for selling low cost cars in emerging markets, so as not to tarnish the reputation of other Nissan and Infiniti cars.

Source: Nissan

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