Nissan Magnite: A Datsun In Disguise?

Wow, that’s a yummy Nissan! That’s exactly what we thought when the wraps were taken off the Magnite concept. This sub-4 metre concept looked like it could give the Hyundai Venue and Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza a bit of a scare. But, in its bold and stylish face, we found something puzzling, a sense of deja vu. Sure all carmakers have a family look, but the slivers of familiarity that sparkled in the Magnite reminded us of... Datsun! You thought it too, right? Well, here’s why you thought that, and why it all makes sense.

The Nissan Magnite’s face might have reminded you of another vehicle, the redi-GO. What’s the story behind it?

Tightening Of Belts

The Alliance, as the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi combine is called, has been struggling through some rough waters since the last couple of years. I’m not going to crack any ‘Ghosn with the wind’ jokes, but there have been financial difficulties which have turned elaborate plans to be redrawn into simpler ones. This included redirecting brand Datsun, the prophesied champion for emerging markets, back into the cupboard. 

While Datsun has already pulled out of Indonesia, its India journey will stretch longer. Read more about it here.  But, as Datsun slowly but surely strolls to the sunset, the focus on Nissan has sharpened. Thankfully. Nissan’s presence and force in the marketplace dwindled significantly, as can be seen from its lineup. Five offerings, that spanned from under 5 lakh Rupees with the Micra Active to almost two crores with the mighty Godzilla, is now down to two: the Kicks and the GT-R. But Nissan is ready to make a splash with the Magnite.