Datsun GO launched in India for Rs 3.12 lakh

The Datsun GO has been launched in India for Rs 3.12 lakh. Datsun had started accepting bookings of the GO last month for a token of Rs 11,000 and deliveries of the car will commence from mid-April. This is the first product to be launched under the Japanese marquee, after it was revived by Nissan after nearly three decades. The car will be available in three variants- D, A and T, powered by the three-pot 1.2-litre petrol engine and will be offered in four colours- blue, red, silver and white.

The Datsun GO is based on the old Nissan Micra, though it gets loads of cosmetic changes to make it look modern. The price bracket of the GO puts it squarely in the entry-level segment where it will face competition from the well-established Maruti Alto K10 and Hyundai Eon.

The GO sports angular lines and creases all around the body which coupled with the hexagonal front grille, give it a modern look. The side profile borrows styling cues from the Nissan Micra with black cladded windows and mirrors, which look good, but are cleverly disguised cost-cutting measures. The D base version of the Datsun GO comes with bare essentials like wind-down windows and no power steering or air-conditioning. The A will get air-conditioning and a two-speaker audio system, while the top-end T variant will add front power windows and electric power steering. Datsun also unveiled a host of optional accessories like leather covers, alloy wheels, a roof spoiler, roof rails, an audio system, reversing camera and parking sensors among others.

The Datsun GO houses a detuned version of the tried-and-tested three-cylinder 1.2-litre petrol engine from the Nissan Micra, which produces 67bhp and 104Nm of torque. Power is sent to the front wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox.

The Datsun brand was revived by Nissan as a platform to introduce budget cars in emerging markets and India is the first among these emerging markets to get the GO hatchback. The production of the GO at the Renault-Nissan manufacturing facility in Oragadam, Chennai had started last month. The GO will be followed by the GO+, an MPV which was unveiled last month at the 2014 Auto Expo. Nissan’s decision of engineering the product especially for India and launching it here first is a sign of the growing importance of the Indian car market.