Nissan not mentioning India anywhere in
its FY2020 results or transformation plan which it announced this week clearly
indicates it’s not a priority market. However, the company did include the
Magnite SUV for India in the teaser video of all its upcoming models which it
revealed along with the transformation plan.
IndianAutosBlog.com was the first
publication worldwide to report that the Nissan sub-4 metre SUV will likely be
named ‘Nissan Magnite’ and also reveal the trademark application for that name.
The teaser video further solidifies that speculation. When each upcoming Nissan
model makes its entry individually in the teaser video, the initial of its name
can is shown in the background. When the Nissan Magnite arrives at 0:17, the
letter ‘M’ is shown in the background.
Nissan models usually feature V-shaped
grille radiator grille. However, the Nissan Magnite apparently has a hexagonal
radiator grille. Edgy headlamps on the top and L-shaped LED daytime running
lights on the bottom can be seen on its flanks. A previous teaser has already
given a glimpse of the SUV’s profile, but that was just a sketch. The teaser
video shows the final design, revealing that a conventional, pole-type antenna
has been used instead of a shark fin antenna. So that the Magnite is levied
with the lowest GST (for ICE M1 category vehicles), Nissan will see to it that
its length doesn’t cross 4,000 mm. No test mules have been spotted so far and
the company has maintained high secrecy about its design so far. It is
developing this model on the basis of the CMF-A+ platform of the Renault
Triber.
The Nissan Magnite will likely be offered
with a 72 PS 1.0-litre N/A three-cylinder petrol engine linked to a 5-speed MT
or a 5-speed AMT and a ~95 PS 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol
engine coupled to a 5-speed MT or a CVT. While performance might not be its
forte, the equipment list will likely be filled with highly sought after
features like a 360-degree camera, connected car services, electric sunroof,
etc.
Reports suggest that the Nissan Magnite’s
starting price will be approximately INR 1.5 lakh* lower than competitors and
fall somewhere between INR 5.00-5.50 lakh (ex-showroom). For reference, the
prices of the Hyundai Venue, Maruti Vitara Brezza and Tata Nexon start at INR
6.70 lakh*, INR 7.34 lakh* and INR 6.95 lakh* respectively.
