Datsun’s Go, its first car in India, comes powered by a  68hp, 1.2-litre, three-cylinder engine. This gives it plenty of power and torque, more than enough with which to pull its light 788kg kerb weight. Customers who drive the car, as a result, quite enjoy this. Problem is, this engine is expensive.

Closely related to the motor that pulls the Nissan Micra, it is full of expensive components, many of which are imported. And truth be told, it has a bit too much power for the kind of role the Go plays. So, this has prompted Datsun into looking at alternatives.

The obvious choice, of course, is the Alliance’s 1.0 engine that is soon expected to make its debut under the bonnet of the Kwid.The engine is expected to make 65hp in India and is likely to be available in a slightly uprated state of tune for export markets like Brazil, Africa, and the Middle East. So, the power output could be 65hp or more, which would be quite ideal. What will make this engine extremely palatable is the fact that almost 99 percent of the motor is manufactured from scratch in India. And that’s sure to make Datsun more cost competitive. Question is, can Datsun make it compatible with the Go’s quite different setup?