The Japanese car maker, Nissan Motor is all set to introduce its Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV) in the Indian automotive market in September this year. The new car which was exhibited at the 2012 Delhi Auto Expo is anticipated to compete against the likes of Renault Duster, Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and Mahindra Xylo. Evalia will mark the car maker's entry into the MPV segment of the Indian auto industry and being much more capacious than its rival, the car can easily accommodate 7 passengers comfortably.
Another intriguing feature of the upcoming model will be its new concept of sliding doors at the rear, which is a new addition in this segment considering the swivelling doors in Xylo and Innova. This feature alone separates the car from its rivals as it directly allows accesses to the inner cabin, especially in the third row.
The new MPV from Nissan Motor already happens to be a much-acclaimed model in the global market. And the announcement of its launch in the country comes at a time when the MPV and SUV models are dominating the Indian auto market. The popularity of the car in the international circuit can be judged by the fact that it has been chosen as the preferred cab in New York City over the fleet of Crown Victorias.
The all-new Evalia MPV is the product from the Joint Venture (JV) between Nissan Motor and domestic player, Ashok Leyland, which is a prominent name in the commercial vehicle segment of Indian industry. According to the reports, both companies, which shook hands back in 2007, had planned to invest a sum of Rs. 4,000 crore to set-up a plant in Pillaipakkam, Tamil Nadu that was supposed to manufacture Light and Heavy commercial vehicles. This plant, however, did not materialise yet considering the slowdown in market.
Nissan is planning to launch the new model in the country within a price range of Rs. 8-10 lacs, which will place the car in category of recently-launched Renault Duster and Maruti Suzuki Ertiga.
The new people carrier from Nissan may prove to be as successful as the Renault Duster, since the car maker has planned to price its new offering right. Nissan India has already witnessed good sales in July 2012 with a growth over 118 per cent. A major account of sales was dedicated to Nissan’s value-for-money Sunny sedan, which was the sole driver. Analysts believe that the yet-to-be launched Evalia will repeat the same story of success for Nissan.
