What would you say if we could offer you a brand new Nissan
for just $3,000? Just about everyone we
know would say something along the lines of “Where do I sign up?!”
Well, we have good news and bad news. The good news is that Nissan is actually
planning on making this a reality by reviving their Datsun model from the
1950s. The bad news is that in order to
realistically bring the cost of the car down to that level, just about
everything has to go. And when we say
just about everything, we aren’t just talking about handy features like
electronic locks and windows. We really
are talking about just about everything.
Start by throwing out anything electronic, and then scrap
the air conditioner. Then add broadcloth
seat fabrics, a two-cylinder engine, and forget about automatic
transmission. After that, it’s time to
get rid of some of the safety features that are standard on nearly every car
under the sun. This includes anti-lock
brakes and stability control. Also,
throw out that strong emissions control; this car is not going to be
environmentally friendly.
So in the end, the revival of the Nissan Datsun might not be
the most luxurious car. But it was never
meant to be luxurious, only affordable.
We can’t wait to see the prototype.