Nissan SUV Magnite is due to be launched either late this year or early 2021 in India, Reuters reports. This approach is seen as a dangerous bet, knowing the constantly decreasing demands and sales in India. Nevertheless, Nissan India sets up a seemingly high target to achieve in order to stay afloat in the industry.
Nissan Motor India and the terrible loss they experience
Nissan Motor’s reputation in India has been in a slump. Japan’s no.2 automaker dominates less than 1% of India’s market. Its plan to revive its lower-end Datsun brand failed and recorded a 60% drop in sales over the past five years. Consequently, Nissan India sales from around 2018 have also halved. Nissan’s sole plant in India is also reportedly performing way below capacity. With Nissan India’s current affairs, Reuters expects a $4.5 billion of loss in annual operation.
Nissan SUV Magnite ready to bring the competition on
A source told Reuters that SUV Magnite is merely a plan to buy Nissan some time to plan things ahead. The source mentioned Nissan’s future in India will depend on the SUV’s success. Another source went bolder and told Reuters the SUV is Nissan India’s “last hope”.
Reuters quoted a source, telling them the SUV will be priced “aggressively”. The source gave no other elaboration related to the statement. The SUV itself originally developed as a Datsun model. With the recent changes, SUV Magnite expectedly will have touchscreen and cruise control, typical features found in a mid-range car.
Nissan reps mentioned a 1,500 to 2,000 Magnites a month as their target. A not so easy target to achieve, considering the number equaling India’s average monthly sales last business with seven models. Last business year, the automotive company only got to sell 18,000 vehicles in total. In the upcoming competition, Maruti Suzuki’s Brezza and Hyundai Motor’s Venue are up as Nissan’s SUV Magnite rivals.
