Datsun Revival to Start with $6,700 Go Hatchback

The return of Nissan Motor Co.'s Datsun brand for emerging markets will begin early next year in India with the sales debut of the five-seat Go hatchback.

Distribution in Indonesia, Russia and South Africa will follow within two years, according to the company. It adds that it might eventually also sell the Go in Brazil.

The model's pricing in India will start below 400,000 rupees ($6,700) in a bid to target young, first-timer buyers, Nissan says. The little car aims to compete with the entry-level models of such companies as Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai.

The Datsun will be equipped with a 1.2-liter gasoline engine and five-speed manual transmission. The model will be produced at the manufacturing complex in Chennai, India, that Nissan operates with alliance partner Renault SA. The French company plans to begin making its own low-priced car there in 2015.

News reports predict that the Go might eventually be built by Nissan in Indonesia and by Renault-Nissan partner AvtoVAZ at its factory in Togliatti, Russia.

CEO Carlos Ghosn tells reporters that Nissan expects the Go and subsequent Datsun models to help the company boost its Indian market share from 1.2% now to 10% by 2016. By then, Ghosn predicts, the country's car deliveries will jump one-third from 2011 to 4 million units.

Nissan's goal is to generate 60% of its revenue in emerging markets within a couple of years compared with 30% last year.