[raul]

Skewed pricing meaning less VFM for us, we continue to pay inflated prices for most if not all cars.

What continues to mystify is why manufacturers are fast and loose with labeling this a budget market while charging higher prices for the same products infact the Indian versions are cut down, it will be a loss for consumers if we get a stream of cut down vehicles like the Lodgy at the prices than developed markets get the grand scenic.

I don't see how this is good for Indian consumers and the marketplace.

[gomzi]

Originally Posted by raul

What continues to mystify is why manufacturers are fast and loose with labeling this a budget market while charging higher prices for the same products

Because it is good for the manufacturers budget?

I dont have the information, but one reason could be taxes imposed by our govt. Anyway, a discussion on that will be waaay OT for this thread.

[k_nitin_r]

Originally Posted by chittybang

I believe that Renault and Nissan have an understanding that whoever launches a rebranded vehicle that originates with the other brand they have to price it higher. So the Scala had to be priced abive the Sunny, the Pulse above the micra and similarly the Terrano has no option but to go above the Duster.

While the high price would help keep the other partner happy, I think the prices are because the Sunny and the Micra are products of Nissan, enabling them to keep prices lower than their Renault counterparts. The Duster is from Dacia so that makes it difficult to explain with the theory of its-my-product-so-my-prices-will-be-lower, although if Renault was the one that initiated the partnership with Dacia (or if there's been a purchase of stakes from Dacia by Renault that I'm not aware of) then that could be to their advantage with lower pricing.

[rlvl]

Autocar written a lengthy article on the Datsun launch.
I see this as a good move from Nissan. They bring in the volumes critical to their survival without sacrificing the brand image. It's the proverbial Have the cake and eat it too

[CRtorquefan]

DATSUN's rendering as presented by Autocar India on their website:



Datsun’s first model for India will be a five-door hatchback (internal code: K2), which, judging by a masked prototype we saw, will be nearly as big as the current Micra. Development of the K2 started out as a ‘top hat’ on a two-generation-old Micra platform (K11) but according to company sources, the K11 was shelved as the platform proved too small to accommodate the cabin requirements for today’s 50th percentile person. Nissan has used various other bits from its parts bin to underpin the K2 and this includes the same 1.2-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine (XH5) from the Micra. In the Micra, this motor develops 75bhp but this figure could be slightly less in the K2, which will be tuned for better efficiency. Also, the XH5 in the K2 is likely to come with lower specs to meet stringent cost targets. However, since the K2 is expected to be around 100kg lighter than the Micra, it will have better acceleration.

Read more at: http://www.autocarindia.com/News/347...f--datsun.aspx

[pacman2881]

Looks like Datsun will be sharing Nissan dealership which is razor thin itself-

Autocar says-

Datsun is likely to share the same dealer network as Nissan but will have its own distinct showroom area built to Datsun brand guidelines.However, in smaller towns where there is no Nissan outlet, standalone Datsun dealerships could be set up

Nissan couldn't have gone for a separate network for Datsun at this stage. What I fail to understand is how they are going to maintain a separate identity sharing same the network.
1. By having the same dealership it will be obvious even to a common man that it is afterall the same company
2. Post purchase ownership may not be different if they are going to share the same service network (Ask Fiat!)

They run the risk of diluting Nissan brand which is why they are resurecting Datsun in the first place.

Whether they succeed or lose, this is going to be a interesting marketing case study

[samee_arian]

Hi Guys,

What would you say about Logan?

The trend started with it and then Mahindra just changed the name and now we get the vibe.

So I would say, it is just not a well known European brand that is doing this to us, but our very own M&M that is also doing it in disguise.

[rajshenoy]

Service and dealership network is very important. I really feel great about how Maruti and Hyundai have been managing their network.

One advantage they had was lesser models and lesser sales too. So they could build this network over decades. But with our industry selling close to 1.5 lakh cars every month, and more people opting for non-maruti brands, that is why newer guys are feeling the heat. They just dont have the luxury of time.

Also i am not sure if any other manufacturer has non dealer service network like the maruti MASS ? they are pretty efficient and concentrate on service only.

[lifebuoy]

Originally Posted by pacman2881

For the quality we get, we are definitely being ripped off.

+1 to that. The Duster's interior is way too cheap and drab for the cost. It excels in looks (front and side three quarters only, the rear looks like an overgrown toad), FE and driveability.

Reliability and service are points that the Duster threads are abuzz with (rattling, noises abound, etc). Let's see what happens with the passage of time ?

[thoma]

Originally Posted by vb-san

But in this case what we are getting is a much cheaper Dacia, rechristened as a Nissan/Renualt at a premium price-range. In other words, a Duster/Terrano sold at a price point of better engineered Nissan Qashqai. And in future, instead of a Renault Grand Scenic MPV, we will get a Renault Lodgy.

I fully agree with tsk1979's views in this thread.

It is only the first mover advantage that they are exploiting. Our own attitude for constant change (rather I'll call it unsettled or unsatisfied mind) and experimenting anything new is also to be blamed.

With competition, these manufacturing guys will soon realize the real sales potential of low cost re-branded cars. Nissan has already realized (I guess but for the Terrano) that the Nissan brand Micra cannot be projected any more cheaper, and so they bring in Datsun in the entry level.

[volkman10]

Nissan and Datsun chalk out a strategy.

Datsun will focus on catering to the first-time car buyer, and with Nissan, we want to focus on models above Rs 10 lakh!


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