Opinion: Three must dos for Nissan's rebirth in India

"Reports of our exit are untrue, and I am happy to say all our product plans are on track and underway.” That was Nissan India MD Saurabh Vatsa. Given where the brand is, it definitely needs all plans running smoothly. So, here are a few things I think it must do now. 

Pay the entry fee; with the upcoming products, Nissan needs to project an image of immediate success. It cannot afford to have a slow and steady buildup. Anything less than meteoric will be seen as a failure and only drag momentum down. Nissan needs to have cars flying off the floor and onto roads, so it must start by buying market share. Tough! But unfortunately, it’s a price it has to pay. As Hormazd often says, brands entering India must pay the entry fee, and this is essentially a re-entry for Nissan.

Tough outside, comfy inside; A clear and distinct product image is a must-have for Nissan’s upcoming SUVs. The Grand Vitara/Hyryder are seen as tech-driven and efficient with their strong hybrid engines, the Kushaq and Taigun come off as the driver’s cars, while the Creta is the jack of all trades. Nissan would do well to take on an image of tough outside and comfy inside, the Land Rovers of the midsize segment, if you will.

With the styling, very upright and Patrol-like, it seems to have the tough look covered, and there’s a 4X4 that could be offered, adding to the tough and capable image. Inside, Nissan will need to provide an aura of comfort, and this must come from top-class styling and materials. It needn’t out-spec a Kia, just outclass it.

Avoid twinning; with its upcoming MPV (Triber-based) and two SUVs (Duster-based) having Renault equivalents, the Nissans must have a clear differentiation. We know the two partners aren’t doing different top hats and interiors like, say, the Creta and Seltos, so at the very least, a step beyond the Kushaq-Taigun differentiation is needed. Renault is in a much stronger position, and the brand Duster still has good saliency, so Nissan’s cars cannot come off as me-too products.

Get the Patrol; Vatsa says Nissan is still exploring CBUs, and although that might seem odd given the X-Trail’s flop, it could work. The X-Trail’s failure is not only because it’s expensive, but it’s not aspirational to begin with. The problem was that Nissan wanted a brand-shaper but hoped it would sell a few dozen, too. The next CBU then should be a brand shaper through and through, Nissan could even announce it as sold-to-order and customise it as such. I would look right at the mighty Patrol. It won’t sell a lot, but it would get a hell of a lot more coverage – and positive – than the X-Trail did.