MOTORING NEWS - One should not underestimate how important mobility and the ability to commute easily is in helping South African youth gain employment and take their ultimate places in a market-driven economy, says Des Fenner, general manager of Datsun South Africa.
It is important to consider the role of the young workforce in society and the challenges they face. Enabling mobility is a key factor in assisting them.
"We live in a country where we are wrestling with the provision of integrated public transport systems. Part of this challenge is the long distances between city centres, tertiary education institutions, townships and suburbs," says Fenner. "For many South Africans, this equates to lengthy commutes and several changes of buses, taxis and trains.
With commutes of four hours a day or more being common, the motor car is more than a convenience. It is a life-changing acquisition that provides opportunities to join the economic mainstream and participate fully in building the fabric of the nation."For the younger generation, the challenge of getting mobile is often hampered by cost. The average sticker prices of medium-priced cars are now rising at rates that exceed inflation and place a strain on their financial resources.
"It was against a tough economic backdrop that Datsun launched the affordable Datsun 'Go' in South Africa in 2014. We believed that there was space for us to add to the Datsun brand, which was associated with quality and affordable motoring in the 1970s and 1980s. The Datsun Go is a vehicle specifically aimed at addressing the needs of young first-time car buyers."
Fenner says that, within a year of launching the model, Datsun's niche market strategy was rewarded with the vehicle becoming the sales leader in the competitive A-segment of the car market. "We have since introduced the Datsun Go+ designed for families that need appealing, but affordable, transport for up to seven people.We also launched the Datsun Go+ panel van for entrepreneurs needing an affordable company vehicle."
The Datsun range combines affordability and the excitement of owning a new vehicle. It was also recognised in 2015 and 2016 by the independent Kinsey Report as being the most affordable car to maintain.
The overall quality of the vehicle was acknowledged when it took bronze in the recent Ipsos Quality Awards in the category Best New Volume Passenger Car.
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