Nissan unveils `Datsun Go; sets India launch for 2016

Japanese auto major Nissan today unveiled its hatchback `Datsun Go', which the company plans to relaunch across the globe by 2016.

The new 5-door hatchback model that will mark the rebirth of the Datsun brand, will have dimensions of 3,785mm X1,635mm X 1,485mm (LXWXH) and a wheelbase of 2,450mm.

The car will debut in India before it is exported to Indonesia, Russia and South Africa.

Nissan, which closed production of Datsun three decades ago, will relaunch the model with three variants and a price tag below Rs4 lakh.

The Datsun Go, fitted with the 1.2-litre petrol engine, is the top-of-the line model in a family where the price could start from Rs3 lakh.

The new small car is expected to shake up the segment where Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai rule the roost.

''Today, we begin a new chapter in the Datsun story,'' said Carlos Ghosn, president and CEO of Nissan Motors while unveiling the car at a function at Gurgaon today.

The `Datsun Go' has been completely developed in India and could also be produced completely at Renault-Nissan's alliance plant in Oragadam, near Chennai, according to Nissan.

The new Datsun has its gear shift and the handbrake mounted on the dashboard, for the sake of convenience. The cabin also has added a dock station for the music system, in which the user can connect a smartphone for streaming music.

''Datsun was one of the industry's iconic brands. We are committed to building, manufacturing capacities and establishing a meaningful presence in high growth markets like India,'' said Ghosn.

With the market for automobiles increasingly shifting to emerging markets, Ghosen said, the market is in ''significant transition'' right now.

Today the emerging markets contribute to 40 per cent of overall sales and this could go up to 60 per cent by 2016, he said, adding that India right at the bottom of the market with 15 cars per thousand population, could emerge the potentially largest market for Datsun.