Datsun Go+ production commences, launch in January

Datsun has started producing the Go+ MPV for dealer dispatch at the Renault-Nissan Oragadam facility in Chennai. The MPV will be available for display towards the end of this year as Nissan is planning to launch the Go+ in January. Ideally the MPV, for sales, should be manufactured in January for a 2015 production date (which will help during resale compared to a late 2014 model). So majority of the cars built now will most likely be used for display and promotional purposes.

The Go+ is an MPV version of the Go hatchback and it shares the same wheelbase as its donor car. Being an MPV, the Go+ gets the customary third row bench and to achieve that, Datsun has increased overall length of the car by 210mm. Despite the increase in length and space for seven passengers, the Go+ falls under the four metre mark and that means it qualifies for the lower excise duties. But the compact dimensions have resulted in a poorly designed third row of seats. 

It will sport the same petrol engine from the Go and get the diesel 1.5-litre K9K engine from the Micra. The petrol is good for 68PS and the diesel mill develops 66PS. Both engines come mated to a five speed manual gearbox.

The Go+ will take MPV affordability to a new level with a price tag in the ballpark of Rs 5 lakh for the base model. While a low sticker price is essential to get a car noticed, it doesn’t seem to be enough to sell one as several examples in the recent past have demonstrated. Datsun has experienced that first hand with the Go that despite offering a competitive package at a tempting price, has failed to set the sales charts on fire. It’s far from that actually as the hatchback is struggling to connect with the Indian customer. The Datsun brand just isn’t well known enough and suffers a visibility crisis for a mass market car brand. 

Several features of the car that the company wishes to emphasize aren’t easily noticeable and so the company recently organized a technology showcase to highlight them. Among these include features like follow me home headlamps, spinal support seats, tear drop wipe function for the wipers that are unique to its class of car. The Go+ should feature these features and more to make it a desirable car to own though. Just affordability isn’t enough these days in the Indian market. Customers demand desirability as well and neither the Go nor the Go+ have it in spades. There are still a few months for the launch so Datsun has its work cut out.