Datsun sells Go, Go+ and Go Cross in Indonesia and their sales will be stopped when the existing stocks run out
Nissan Motor Corporation has announced pulling out of the Indonesian market as the local production will be stopped due to the decline in vehicle sales in the Southeast Asian country. The Japanese auto major has already halted production two months ago in Indonesia and it includes vehicle manufacturing for emerging markets under its low-cost sub brand Datsun.
It comes as part of the brand undergoing restructuring processes within as it looks to slash down costs and improve profits overall by cutting capacity by 10 per cent globally. Nissan’s woes had gotten worse ever since Carlos Ghosn was arrested as the financial turmoil has left its future wide open. Nissan could be considering using its plant in Indonesia to produce powertrains for Mitsubishi instead.
The outbreak of Coronavirus has acted as a stumbling block for the global automotive industry as unemployment and plunging sales volumes are there to be seen. The third largest Japanese car producer is not left unscathed as well as disruptions in supply chain and other internal problems have caused headaches.
The Karawang facility was used to manufacture Nissan branded cars before it was shut down last September while the Purwakarta plant was closed in January 2020. Nissan sells Livina MPV, Terra SUV, Navara, Serena and X-Trail in Indonesia and they will continue to be made available and future products are also in line. However, Datsun will be pulled out of the equation when the existing stocks get retailed out.
In Indonesia, Datsun’s domestic range comprise of Go hatchback, Go+ MPV and Go Cross compact SUV and they will be put to rest amidst underwhelming sales endured in the last calendar year of just 7,000 units. After decades of absence, Datsun brand was revived by Nissan mainly for the emerging marketplaces like India, Indonesia, Russia, South Africa and others.
Datsun brand will be phased out in the next two years globally and in India, the Redi Go is being prepared to get a facelift with BSVI compliant engine. A made-for-India compact SUV from Nissan has already been teased a few times and is expected to be introduced during the course of this year to revive its sales fortunes.