Datsun took the wraps off a new small car concept called the Redi-Go at the 2014 Auto Expo. The Datsun Redi-Go is very good looking for what’s going to be - one of the most affordable cars in India. But bear in mind, this is still a concept and the final version is likely to shed a lot of these striking concept details. The 2,350mm wheelbase points to generous cabin room for the eventual production version, and its high ground clearance and crossover-ish appearance will certainly appeal to the Indian consumer.
The concept’s high-riding, crossover-like styling is very different from the Datsun production models that we're already familiar with - the Go and Go+. Given this off-roader-aping stance, the designers have kept the additional cladding down to a minimum, but there are still quite a few striking lines. The concept has got the typical Datsun grille and high-mounted, upswept headlamps. The distinctive beltline that bulges out in quite an aggressive way gives the Datsun Redi-Go a unique look. The window line too streaks upwards and ends in a point - not unlike the Honda CR-V's - and although the small glasshouse will mean that visibility won’t be great, Datsun wanted the design to look aggressive.
The production version of the Datsun Redi-Go could use an all new platform, but it's more likely that it will use a heavily modified version of the one that underpins the Go and Go+. However, what we do know is that the car will be powered by an 800cc petrol engine. The production version will be very aggressively priced too - in fact, we’re expecting that all variants will be sold for under Rs 4 lakh, making it an aggressive Maruti Alto 800 competitor.
Viraaj Bhatnagar
Dipan Sur
Dhruv Dhaka
