Datsun set to come back as value-for-money brand

Datsun is to make a comeback as a budget automotive brand! Nissan has just unveiled the first new Datsun model in India, the GO, which will head to South Africa in 2014.

Nissan is reintroducing Datsun as a value-for-money automotive brand after it was discontinued in the 1980s.

With Datsun, Nissan wants to become a competitive player in the entry-level segment, especially in developing markets such as South Africa.

The new Datsun GO is a five-door, front-wheel-drive hatchback which will be powered by a 1,2-litre engine paired with a five-speed manual transmission.

The GO is a compact car and measures 3 785 mm in length and is 1 635 mm wide. However, Nissan claims it’s quite spacious inside.

Instead of a complex audio system Datsun GO will offer a mobile docking station for owners to connect with their smartphones as a music source.

The Datsun GO will be the first of several Datsun models that will be launched later next year in Indonesia, Russia and South Africa.

- Wilmer Müller (Twitter: @wilmermuller)