[tj123]

I guess Toyota should bring in a “mini/modified” RAV4 (2014) to compete with Duster & Ecosport, let the competition heat up.

[zen kobane]

Originally Posted by koushik

I am also keenly awaiting release of Terrano.Nissan SUVs have very good reputation all over world and can be compared with Toyota. Terrano will have different wheelbase. To my information (from insider)it could be 2630 mm. Also it will be offered with all wheel drive as well as two wheel drive version. Engine options will be the same as Duster but off road capability will be strengthen further leading to higher vehicle price than the Duster.

Ditto!

And thanks for bringing back my excitement... Ive been desperately following all the leaks and forums for any news I can find on Terrano...

I skipped Duster 'coz of the lack of 4WD and AT, and then cancelled ES AT due to the 'shallow' interiors and 'shady' dashboard design.

Now I'm just hoping, Terrano at least comes in a 4WD version.

It compeltely makes sense, as the name 'Terrano' was used for Nissan's off-roader and the brand characteristics should flow into the new version and make me a happy man!

Hints to note:
1. Their marketing line is also pointing towards the same - "You can take the Nissan Terrano along wherever you go, where will you take it?"
2. The international version of Duster 4x4 uses Nissan's 4WD system, so it makes more sense that Nissan gets the exclusivity to launch 4WD in India first, as that also helps them to create a different niche for themselves.

To me, this speaks of the GO ANYWHERE Attitude, like how Safari and Scorpio market themselves.

PLEASE NISSAN, PLEASE.

[ambadan]

Originally Posted by eq24

Nissan maybe ahead of Suzuki in terms of sales but that does not make it anything special. I saw your sales figures and guess what the brand NISSAN has one car in the top 20, so again nothing special.

Few years back, I was in hitachi, japan where they make auto parts. I was with the R&D (with reliability dept) which tests new parts. Those engineers were of the opinion that Nissan is on par with Toyota on quality and reliability. However, due to reasons unknown to all, the brand value of nissan never reached the top.

During my visit to Nissan factory in Japan, they also shared the same concern.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by thoma

May be we also should stick more to Terrano than Nissan.

I agree. What brand Nissan stands for in the international auto scene is quite inconsequential when it comes to Indian market. What the alliance (Nissan-Renault-Datsun-Dacia) bring here are predominantly brand re-engineered cars with no brand identity as such (the Micra maybe an exception). Anyways, since it is derived from the Duster template, the Terrano will have its own strengths, irrespective of the brand pedigree.

[thoma]

Originally Posted by namit

Diesels offerings of nissan in india are courtesey renault so why feel passionate for nissan

I feel that Nissan vehicles in India (Sunny and Micra predominantly) are built to a cost than elsewhere; not the interiors, but the sheet metal and the noise part of the NVH, especially the gearbox, road and then the engine noise.

Originally Posted by vb-san

What the alliance (Nissan-Renault-Datsun-Dacia) bring here are predominantly brand re-engineered cars with no brand identity as such (the Micra maybe an exception).

Not exactly in the case of Nissan, as per my limited knowledge. Their current line up in India which includes Micra, Sunny, Evalia, Teana, X-Trail and 370Z are predominantly Nissan designed vehicles. It is only the Micra and Sunny that was (not fully sure) branded under Datsun in some markets in the early stages.

But, the Pulse and Scala are a direct lift from Nissan. And I am afraid that, the topic of the thread, Terrano, is also awaiting a similar fate.
[EDIT: I have to admit that the Micra and Sunny does not completely escape brand re-engineering as the K9K diesel engine is from the Renault stable.]

I do not have any issue in bringing re-engineering cars (that they already have under their belt) to the market. But different manufacturers selling the same car in the same market under different badge is a big no for me.

[Vid6639]

Originally Posted by koushik

I am also keenly awaiting release of Terrano.Nissan SUVs have very good reputation all over world and can be compared with Toyota. Terrano will have different wheelbase. To my information (from insider)it could be 2630 mm. Also it will be offered with all wheel drive as well as two wheel drive version. Engine options will be the same as Duster but off road capability will be strengthen further leading to higher vehicle price than the Duster.

The Terrano by no means is a Nissan SUV. The Nissan SUV range which can be compared to Toyota is the Pathfinder or the Patrol, definitely not the Renault badged as a Nissan. Just slapping on a badge does not change the characteristics of a car.

It's like saying the Pulse and Scala are Renault cars with characteristics that the french cars have. Marketing guys will want you to believe that but it far from the truth.

An example was the Renault Nissan event recently attended by moderator Ajmat. The marketing guys tried to say Pulse was a Renault product. When Ajmat asked then why don't you sell the Pulse and Scala in France as a Renault they were stumped.

[suhaas307]

The only real 'Renault' is the Megane-derived Fluence. Even the Koleos crossover is based on the Nissan X-Trail platform. It does not take rocket science to figure out the brand engineered products in the Renault-Nissan stable. It's a well known fact that the Duster is a Dacia. What isn't well known is that the Duster traces its roots to the old generation Renault Clio hatch.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by thoma

I feel that Nissan vehicles in India (Sunny and Micra predominantly) are built to a cost than elsewhere; not the interiors, but the sheet metal and the noise part of the NVH, especially the gearbox, road and then the engine noise.

I am not sure if there are compromises safety, atleast the Micra/March felt pretty much the same in India and here in Singapore. But I can say that the interiors are in a different league. The Sunny is available here as the Almera, and overall it feel much more luxurious than the Sunny in India (talk about export quality )

Originally Posted by thoma

Not exactly in the case of Nissan, as per my limited knowledge. Their current line up in India which includes Micra, Sunny, Evalia, Teana, X-Trail and 370Z are predominantly Nissan designed vehicles. It is only the Micra and Sunny that was (not fully sure) branded under Datsun in some markets in the early stages.
But, the Pulse and Scala are a direct lift from Nissan. And I am afraid that, the topic of the thread, Terrano, is also awaiting a similar fate.

My apologies for missing out on models like Evalia, Teana, X-Trail etc. I looked at only those with reasonable sales.
Since the Duster is already a volume seller, they should left it there (instead of splitting sales with different brand names), and looked at the Qashqai as their candidate in the small crossover space. But they decided on a shortcut route with the Terrano. Effectively they are making the buyers search for Nissan’s virtues in a Dacia.

Maybe this discussion is more appropriate here.

[Guna]

Originally Posted by koushik

I am also keenly awaiting release of Terrano.Nissan SUVs have very good reputation all over world and can be compared with Toyota. Terrano will have different wheelbase. To my information (from insider)it could be 2630 mm. Also it will be offered with all wheel drive as well as two wheel drive version. Engine options will be the same as Duster but off road capability will be strengthen further leading to higher vehicle price than the Duster.

Will the Terrano have shorter wheelbase then the Duster( 2630 against 2673)? I was hoping that it will be only stretched if at all they are making any changes.

[koushik]

Originally Posted by Guna

Will the Terrano have shorter wheelbase then the Duster( 2630 against 2673)? I was hoping that it will be only stretched if at all they are making any changes.

Stretching is required if they want to make it seven seater. And for that mere 85 PS engine will not work.

[srishiva]

Maybe if Nissan could model it on their Xterra I believe our enthusiasm would die the day they announce their pricing. Its not going to be cheap and still better the Duster on premium content.

[Guna]

Originally Posted by koushik

Stretching is required if they want to make it seven seater. And for that mere 85 PS engine will not work.

Stretching the length by 15 cm and making it 5+2 would have been a great differentiator over the Duster, which would have justified a premium of even 1.5 lakh over the Duster price.

[thoma]

Originally Posted by vb-san

But I can say that the interiors are in a different league.

You mean that the interiors are still better than here?

Originally Posted by suhaas307

The only real 'Renault' is the Megane-derived Fluence. Even the Koleos crossover is based on the Nissan X-Trail platform. It does not take rocket science to figure out the brand engineered products in the Renault-Nissan stable. It's a well known fact that the Duster is a Dacia.

But what seems more clumsy is that the same vehicle with minimum fancy dress changes being marketed by two different companies.

Why not the Juke instead of the Terrano? Is it because the diesel mill cannot be fitted on to it?

[motorworks]

Originally Posted by thoma

I feel that Nissan vehicles in India (Sunny and Micra predominantly) are built to a cost than elsewhere; not the interiors, but the sheet metal and the noise part of the NVH, especially the gearbox, road and then the engine noise.



Not exactly in the case of Nissan, as per my limited knowledge. Their current line up in India which includes Micra, Sunny, Evalia, Teana, X-Trail and 370Z are predominantly Nissan designed vehicles. It is only the Micra and Sunny that was (not fully sure) branded under Datsun in some markets in the early stages.

But, the Pulse and Scala are a direct lift from Nissan. And I am afraid that, the topic of the thread, Terrano, is also awaiting a similar fate.
[EDIT: I have to admit that the Micra and Sunny does not completely escape brand re-engineering as the K9K diesel engine is from the Renault stable.]

I do not have any issue in bringing re-engineering cars (that they already have under their belt) to the market. But different manufacturers selling the same car in the same market under different badge is a big no for me.

OT: Nissan and Renault have messed up their whole brand image. When Renault launched the logan, it didnt launch one of its own products but a car from its sub brand-Dacia and it has now done so with the duster as well. While the duster may be setting the sales charts on fire now, it really puts a question as what next for Renault. Its proper cars such as the fluence has not done well at all. And they have no plans of launching their global cars such as the clio etc. So globally they have an image of a brand that manufactures pretty good hatchbacks but in India all they are doing is rebranding nissan and dacia.
Nissan is slightly better, they started off with the teana and the xtrail and tried to create a premium image and when they did launch made for india cars such as the micra and the sunny, I would say they did a decent job. But now with Datsun, I dont know what they want to be. If micra starts at about 4 lakhs which is the same as the datsun go, what is the big difference? Are they trying to launch inferior quality cars under datsun so that Nissan's name doesnt get tainted? You got to have some brand identity in the long run. For example, Honda is known for its smooth petrol engines and Toyota for its reliability. By launching multiple brand cars in under Nissan and Renault, consumers are not going to be able to connect themselves to the brand.
Cross badging works only when both brands command a good brand equity. If you look at VW-Skoda, its worked for the Rapid-Vento, simply because skoda has built a premium image over the last 10 years with the earlier octavia. So they have been able to maximize sales, unlike the sunny-Scala, Micra-Pulse cousins.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by thoma

But what seems more clumsy is that the same vehicle with minimum fancy dress changes being marketed by two different companies.
Why not the Juke instead of the Terrano? Is it because the diesel mill cannot be fitted on to it?

More than Juke, the Qashqai is an ideal (and practical) candidate to go in a 12-15 lakhs price range. But I guess they will have the Terrano to fill that price bracket, and probably launch the Qashqai later as a premium crossover in the 20 lakhs+ territory.

Diesel options (1.5/1.6/2.0 dCI) are available for both Juke and Qashqai in Europe.

Originally Posted by thoma

You mean that the interiors are still better than here?

Yeah, here is a pic of Almera (Sunny) interiors:


Pictures courtesy: www.oneshift.com