Nissan marked 10 years of their India operations with a special event at the Buddh International Circuit
Report: Gaurav Nagpal
Photography: Nissan India
The Indian car market was set alight over 30 years ago when Suzuki of Japan partnered with Maruti and entered the country with the Maruti 800 hatchback. Over the years, other players from Japan followed suit – Honda in 1995 and Toyota in 1997. Nissan were the last to join the party (in 2005), and the company marked its 10th anniversary in India with the Nissan Carnival held at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC).
Nissan used the event as a product and technology showcase, with their entire India range on display: the Micra, the Sunny, and the Evalia. They also brought to India two of their leading international models, the massive Patrol SUV and the all-electric Leaf hatchback.
As an invitee to the event, I had the opportunity to take these vehicles for a quick spin on two courses – an off-road course and a slalom course. Read on to know about the experience.
Off-road Experience: Patrol and Terrano
My fun started off the road with an artificial course in one of the parking lots at the BIC. I climbed into the Patrol gingerly. I say “climbed” because the Patrol is one mammoth SUV and offers a commanding, “high-up” view quite unlike many others. Being a left-hand-drive model, the pedals took a little getting used to, but the automatic transmission made it a cinch to drive.
