Nissan bets on redi-GO to deliver

Nissan Motor India MD Arun Malhotra says the initial response was good

When Datsun’s redi-GO was launched in June, it was touted as a game changer. The product has received 10,000 bookings within five weeks of its launch.

Arun Malhotra, managing director for Nissan Motor India, told Business Standard that the initial response was good.

Responding to a question on why redi-GO did not perform as good as Kwid, he said the response is getting better. “redi-GO has done around 3,500 units in June. For July, you will get the numbers in a few days. The numbers would be much higher than Junes’ and it would be a surprise.”

Kwid, which entered the market in September 2015, had got 50,000 bookings in its first five weeks. According to reports, it will take a year to register 150,000 bookings for redi-GO against 150,000 bookings for Kwid within 10 months of launch.

Malhotra conceded the timing of redi-GO launch was not right as it did not coincide with the festival season. Still, the product created excitement and acceptance was good, said Malhotra.

On comparison with Kwid's performance, he said: “I don’t subscribe to the view. To me, booking is not the only criteria. Ultimately, delivery is there. Kwid is from the same platform and it had come a year earlier. I don't want to comment on it since that is also part of our group.”  He said redi-GO was focused on first-time buyers, who “take time to convert and deliver”. “In any product, you need to have the fundamentals right. If they are strong, then your product will be there in the longer run,” said Malhtora.

To increase its reach, the company has tied up with rural finance companies.

“We have the same network. We have also got some exclusive Datsun outsets. Around 90 per cent of the market is covered through presence in 120 cities,” said Malhotra.