The Datsun on-DO sedan which is an all new product from the Datsun office has just made its world premiere in Russia last weekend. The sedan derives its design cues from the Go hatchback, and it will be initially sold only in Russia.
Designed in Japan, the sedan was engineered in Russia by a team of Nissan engineers. While the car more or less looks like a Go with a boot, the sedan’s underpinnings are based on the Russian Lada Granta. Lada is also owned by Renault-Nissan Alliance and basing the new Datsun sedan on the heavily localized Granta would give a huge cost advantage.
Just like the Go, the sedan is high on space, practicality and is expected to be priced competitively. The on-DO is characterized by the trademark chrome finished hexagonal front grill and angular headlamps.
A plain sheet metal design is favored to keep the manufacturing costs in check and as a result you get a modest looking sedan. While the exterior of the Datsun On-Do is significantly different from the Lada Granta, the interior is completely borrowed from the latter. The car measures 4337 mm in length, 1700 mm in width and 1500 mm in height. At 530 litres, the on-DO has the largest boot space in its segment.
The Datsun on-DO will be powered by a 1.6-litre petrol engine, also borrowed from Lada. The time-proven four cylinder, 8-valve motor develops a modest 87 hp. Datsun hasn’t revealed the transmission details yet but the Russian media reports that a 5-speed manual unit will be offered initially and an automatic gearbox would be introduced at a later stage.
Without revealing further details about the new car, Carlos Ghosn, Chairman and CEO of Renault-Nissan Alliance, announced that it will go on sale in Russia later this year.
