Wow, that's a yummy Nissan That's exactly what we thought when the 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.
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.
Badge
Just to set the tone here's a picture of the and the Magnite:
Seems a bit too familiar, right? Hit the rewind button and you will find that Datsun, Nissan's sub-brand, was for a sub 4-metre SUV. However, with Datsun heading to pasture like we mentioned, the focus sharpened on Nissan.
While it is still present in India, introducing a potent product like the Magnite under the umbrella in a highly competitive sub 4-metre segment would have only hamstrung its prospects. Sure, platform sharing and top-hat switching is the norm these days, but spending all the effort and time on a Datsun version would have made little sense under the new plan. Therefore, Nissan, a brand with better recognition, took up this project from Datsun for the Indian market. It was also looking for an India-specific product to make a mark. So now you know why the Nissan Magnite's front-end looks similar to a Datsun.
The 'L' shape DRLs are a common theme, which along with the bold grille and sculpted bonnet give the front-end an imposing and intimidating look -- this is something that we Indians prefer. The sharply cut and narrow headlamps are another. The flat window line and the angular cuts into the C-Pillar also spell airiness and practicality. We particularly liked those large squared wheel arches and the butch body cladding, giving it a rugged essence. The rear-end also looks interesting with a tough bumper, a sculpted bootlid and split tail lamps. A tinge of sportiness is infused with the addition of a rear spoiler.
The Nissan Advantage
While the Magnite began its life as a Datsun,, a seven-seat compact MPV based on the same CMFA+ platform as the Magnite, starts at Rs 4.99 lakh. Now do you think the Magnite is even more exciting?
We hope the production-spec Magnite retains as many design elements from the concept as it did make a huge positive first impression. Now we just can't wait to see and drive the actual car. What do you think about the Magnite? Will you buy it over its established rivals? Let us know in the comments below.
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