TOKYO MOTOR SHOW: Datsun GO-cross SUV
Reborn Japanese brand reveals its first SUV and announces expansion plans for emerging marketsNissan's born-again budget brand Datsun has revealed its first SUV, the GO-cross Concept at the Tokyo motor show, where it also announced expansion plans for high-growth markets such as Africa, the Middle East and South East Asia.
The futuristic GO-cross is the company’s second concept in just 17 months, showcasing the brand’s vision for possible expansion of the current GO/GO+ small-car family in emerging markets.
Sharing the same platform of the Datsun GO+, the GO-cross also shares key design elements from the current GO family, yet is a significant evolution of those vehicles.
Nissan’s budget brand has established itself since its rebirth early last year, selling more than 100,000 cars since March 2014.
The Datsun brand was retired for nearly three decades before its return was announced in 2012.
Speaking to international media at the Tokyo show, Global Head of Datsun, Vincent Cobee, announced the company’s plans to not only expand its model range but also to expand its global network.
“This is a significant day for Datsun,” he said.
“We have successfully completed the first phase of our return, and we feel proud that through our vehicles more than 100,000 customers have been able to make their dream of personal mobility a reality.”
“Our expansion plans to include continued growth of sales and service networks in our four existing markets, while expanding our offering to three models in India,” he added.
“We are also studying further business expansion possibilities in other high-growth markets around the world, including Africa.”
Cobee also announced a new model to be based on the new Renault-Nissan CMF-A platform.
“(In India) we will launch a totally new model at the beginning of 2016, which will be the first Nissan Motor model based on the new Renault-Nissan Alliance CMF-A architecture.”
To commemorate the 100,000-sales milestone and demonstrate its appreciation to customers, Datsun in August launched a campaign inviting owners to share how their lives have changed since the arrival of their new Datsun.
Read our full coverage of the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show
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