Nissan could sell a version of an ultra low-priced car in North America, a new report finds. Nissan would first sell the $2,500 vehicle in India in 2010, but could bring it to more mature markets after that. If brought to the U.S., the car would likely be priced from $3,000.
“The big question is: Can you have this car outside of India?†Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn told Automotive News. “We don’t have enough data yet.â€
He continued by saying possible export countries include “mature markets — the U.S. and Canada, Europe and Japan.â€
Ghosn has yet to ink a deal with Indian motorcycle maker Bajaj Auto Ltd. — the company that would produce the car — but indicated Nissan ’s intentions to compete with a similarly priced car from India’s Tata Motors. “If somebody can do it, we can do it,†he said.
As one might assume, the $3,000 car will be fairly bare-boned. “You need a frugal mind,†Ghosn said. “You don’t need anything in the car that is not needed by customers.†Ghosn also said that added safety features for U.S.-spec cars wouldn’t increase its price. “But even if you reinforce a $3,000 car,†he conjectured, “you still can have a car around $3,000.â€
