Get a move on with the all-new Datsun GO
As the name suggests, the Datsun GO will bring to the local market a vehicle that is designed for people on the go - people who are active, have defined priorities and pursue the optimum choice for their stage of life.
The Datsun GO is designed to be stylish and modern, but at the same time purposeful and robust. The face of the car is dominated by the distinctive and modern D-cut grille.
Vincent Cobee, global head of Datsun, says, “In creating Datsun GO we have designed a brand-new car that offers all the benefits of models that are much more expensive. Our car features class-leading levels of performance, economy and handling. It is built to requirements and not down to a price… The addition of the many advanced features proves this.
“Uniquely in the class, the gear lever and parking brake handle are mounted in the centre console benefiting the opportunity to adopt ‘connected’ front seats which are unique in the segment. Extra comfort is also provided by the ergonomically designed front seats, which provide added spinal support.
“Interior space is class-leading and with all the other standard features, making the Datsun GO one of the best value cars on the market today,” advises Des Fenner, general manager.
It offers much to customers – from modern exterior styling, fuel consumption of just 20km per litre, a unique mobile docking station (MDS) that allows an owner to sync his or her smartphone directly with the car. The MDS simply slots the smartphone into a holder in the centre of the dashboard which can be paired by an aux cable to the car’s system and the integrated door mounted loudspeakers.
As such a full range of optional accessories will be available to personalise the Datsun GO to the owner’s requirements. It will sell for less than R100 000 making it a real value proposition for the first-time or student buyer.
Datsun originated in Japan as DAT-GO (the DAT-car) almost a century ago in 1914. The word DAT means lightning fast in Japanese but is also a reference to the three financiers who supported the business at the time – namely Messrs. Den, Aoyama and Takeuchi – an acronym of the first letter of each name. Using the same logic, it was promoted as Durable, Attractive and Trustworthy, or DAT for short.
In 1933, the introduction of a light-weight, economical yet resilient car to meet the aspirations of young Japanese people in the early 1930s was named the ‘son of DAT’ – Datson – which later changed to Datsun.
