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First Look

Watch out, Dacia: it’s Datsun's Redi-Go

Published: 06 Feb 2014

In 2012, Nissan revealed it would revive its Datsun marque as a budget rival for Renault's runaway Romanian renegade, Dacia. Then, last summer, Datsun revealed the mighty steed that would spearhead this revival: a back-to-basics city car called the Go.

And now, demonstrating it has enough spare cash to at least cook up design studies, Datsun has unleashed this, the Redi-Go concept. Unveiled in Dehli, it's a high-riding five-door city car - think Ford EcoSport but with even less off-road intent - that, says Nissan, ‘previews a potential small crossover for the Indian market'.

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And that's the rub. Despite Dacia's success in the UK and Europe with the Sandero and Duster, there's no sign Nissan will bring Datsun to our shores, instead confining it to the ‘emerging markets' of India, South Africa, Indonesia and Russia.

Which is a shame, because we suspect a production version of the Redi-Go would do rather well in Britain. Tech details are predictably thin on the ground, but it'd likely use a 1.2-litre engine mated to a five speed manual.

We do know it has a wheelbase of just 235cm, seven centimetres shorter than that of a VW Up. Given Datsun's shamelessly budget bent, it's unlikely the Redi-Go's 15-inch alloys nor LED lights would reach production as standard kit at least.

Very nice, Datsun, but you know what we really want. A reborn 240Z. Make it happen.

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