Based on the CMF-A platform, the Datsun Redi-GO will be the third car in Datsun’s Indian portfolio. The car will be equipped with the same 0.8-litre petrol engine which does duty in the Renault Kwid.
The re-incarnation of the classic Datsun brand by Nissan as a low-cost entry level car maker in India has not gone down well with many people. The brand has been struggling to find an identity in the Indian market which is known for its relentless and unforgiving rejection of mediocre products. Experts widely believe that this critical condition of the Datsun brand is due to uninspiring products as well as the cheap car image which Indians hate very much (read – Tata Nano). Thus in order to stay relevant in the Indian car market, Nissan is going to launch a third car named Redi-GO under the Datsun brand in May 2016.
The Datsun Redi-GO is based on the Renault-Nissan jointly developed CMF-A platform to underpin low cost cars. The same platform also forms the basis of the Renault Kwid. The car will get the same 0.8-litre petrol engine from the Renault Kwid which produces 53 BHP and gives a claimed fuel efficiency of 25 25 km/l. Previewed as the Redi-GO concept at the 2014 Auto Expo two years ago, the third Datsun car will be the most affordable vehicle in the company’s India lineup.
The Datsun Redi-GO is expected to instil a new life in the Datsun brand which has taken a heavy beating since its introduction in India. To help bring in customers, the Redi-GO will be sporting crossover-esque looks with high ground clearance, chunky wheel arches and plastic cladding all around. The Redi-GO will compete with the Maruti Alto, Hyundai Eon, and its sister, the Renault Kwid itself.
The Datsun brand has received a lot of flak from car enthusiasts and average consumers alike. The low cost car maker, in order to cut down costs, decided to skip on many common features in its first vehicle, the Datsun GO, when it was launched. For example, instead of giving a proper infotainment system, the car only has a mobile dock with a charging cable and a volume knob.
The matters were made worse when the base-trim of Datsun GO was crash tested by Global NCAP in 2014. The car failed to earn even a single mark and was deemed unsafe to drive. The Global NCAP chief publicly denounced the Datsun GO by saying that the car’s body shell was obliterated upon impact and even airbags would not have saved the occupants. This further tarnished the image of Datsun world over.
Datsun Redi-GO Launch
– The car is going to be launched by May 2016
– The Datsun Redi-GO is based on the CMF-A platform which is the same as the Renault Kwid
– It will be powered by the Kwid’s 0.8-litre 3-cylinder engine
– The Redi-GO will be the cheapest car in Datsun India’s lineup
