Re: Datsun redi-Go gets additional safety features This should have been the specs to begin with when they started selling the car 3 years ago. It was suicidal of Datsun to initially launch the Redi-Go, with a feature set which made an Alto look luxurious.
To add salt to the wound, it's Gallic cousin, came into the market with all guns blazing with a fresh out-of-the-box styling and spec'ed the KWID with features such as a touchscreen etc, usually seen in vehicles belonging to a higher segment.
The Redi-Go when it came eventually, was seen as a lame duck by potential customers.
I doubt whether even after all this sprucing up, sales will increase. The perception and image of the Datsun brand since it's launch had been weak to begin with. For example: Maruti stands for mileage, service network, trust. Toyota in India is simultaneous with reliability. Honda India built it's image on "premium-ness", VTEC & technical excellence, Tata is making a comeback of sorts with design & styling, value for money and now with the advent of Nexon : safety.
But what does Datsun stand for ? Or its parent company Nissan? You can't point towards a single USP which works in Nissan-Datsun's favour. And this is the biggest drawback in establishing the brand on the minds of the potential customer.
Also, all these changes, of course, has been done, not because Renault-Nissan loves its customers, but due to the impending government safety regulations, which are forcing all OEM's to tread in this direction.
In isolation, the Redi-Go, particularly, the 1-litre version, is not a bad entry level car. It's just that its parent company is muddled up in more ways than one in terms of: retail operations(the initial Hover Automotive tie-up and it's subsequent abandonment left many embittered), product positioning, strategizing and marketing the brand in the minds of the consumer.
Hope the company comes up with a meaningful replacement of the Redi-Go in a couple of year's time & simultaneously corrects it's organisational deficiencies to give the car the success it deserves. |