Nissan India is currently struggling to increase its market share in the Indian auto industry. The company revived the Datsun low-cost brand to improve its share in developing nations like India, Indonesia, Russia and South Africa. If reports are to be believed, Nissan will start production of a top-spec variant of the Go hatchback at its Oragadam plant next month. This variant will be equipped with more safety features include driver airbag, anti-lock braking system and others.
The airbag-equipped Datsun Go hatchback will be launched in the South African market in July. Nissan is exporting the Go hatchback to South Africa from India. The Go+ MPV is currently available with a driver airbag as an optional feature, however, the top-spec Go hatchback will get driver side airbag as standard. During NCAP testing, the small car registered zero-star safety rating.
Adding to it, Nissan engineers are working on a new and stronger body shell for the Go hatchback. The monocoque structure and side impact beams of the car will get stronger steel. Reports suggest that the metal to be used for making the new body shell gets a tensile strength of 520 MPa (mega Pascal) as compared to the current 320 MPa. This will further improve the car's safety in the side impact test. The new Go hatchback with new body shell will be sent to the Global NCAP.