Carscoops: Nissan Micra

Showing posts with label Nissan Micra. Show all posts

Nissan Launches Super Clean Micra DIG-S Turbo with CO2 Emissions of just 95 g/km

With CO2 emissions of only 95 g/km, Nissan’s all-new Micra DIG-S has one of the cleanest petrol engines in the world. To achieve this, the Japanese firm's engineers used a 1.2-liter three-cylinder unit fitted with a supercharger and direct injection, which can be coupled either to a manual transmission or a CVT automatic gearbox.

The powerplant uses the Miller cycle and with a peak output of 98HP and 142 Nm (105 lb-ft) of torque, it’s said to be on par with a conventional 1.5-liter four-cylinder unit. Other technical highlights include the 13:1 compression ratio that increases combustion efficiency, the reduced heat, friction and pumping losses thanks to fewer moving parts, and advanced engine management systems with Start/Stop feature and energy regeneration capabilities.

At the upcoming Tokyo Auto Salon 2011 with NAPAC (Japan Car Parts and Aftermarket Promotion Association), to be held from January 14 to 16, Nissan, together with Autech Japan and its in-house NISMO performance division, will premiere a total of nine vehicles.

Taking center stage and making its world debut at the 8th China (Guangzhou) International Automobile Exhibition, is Nissan's all-new global small sedan, which will be locally marketed as the Sunny. According to the Japanese automaker, the new small sedan will go on sale first in China in January 2011 and then progressively across 170 countries worldwide under different vehicle brand names.

Even though Nissan's Spartan press release did not mention the Versa, there are one too many styling similarities between the new Sunny and the 2012 Versa sedan teased in an official sketch released by the automaker in October 2010. However, we have to stress the fact that Nissan has not made a connection between the two cars.

A defect in the ignition system that can cause an engine to stall while running has prompted a massive recall of some 2.1 million Nissan and Infiniti cars and trucks worldwide.

In the U.S. and Canada, the recall involves the 2004-2006MY Nissan Armada and Titan, 2005-2006MY Infiniti QX56, as well as the 2003-2006MY Nissan Frontier, Pathfinder and Xterra models. Other models in the global recall list include the Cube, March/Micra and Tiida.

In what could be seen as a rather desperate move to keep the troubled Smart brand alive and kicking in the United States, parent company Mercedes-Benz has announced that it has teamed up with Nissan to launch a Toyota Yaris-sized five-door hatchback on the market in the fourth quarter of 2011.

"The new vehicle will expand smart USA's product lineup, offering five-seat capacity while maintaining the core principles of efficiency and conservation," said Smart USA President Jill Lajdziak.

The company said the B-segment car is to be sold solely in the United States and will be based on vehicle architecture from Nissan, without getting into any more details. However, the maker of the tiny Fortwo released two teaser sketches of the car, clearly depicting Nissan's latest Micra supermini with a Smart-like fascia, headlights, tail lamps and detailing.

At the 2010 Paris Motor Show, which opens on 30 September, Nissan will lift the wraps off a new electric car concept called the Townpod. The Japanese automaker will release full details at the show but for now, all we have about the concept model is this cropped photo of the front headlamp and Nissan's claims that "it combines eye-catching design with a spacious and practical interior," and that " it heralds a new-era of flexible, stylish vehicles that will bring electric-vehicle mobility to the masses."

On Friday, the last Micra to be produced at Nissan's Sunderland plant in the UK, rolled off the assembly line marking the end of an era stretching back to the early Nineties. The very first Sunderland-built Micra came to life on August 10, 1992. The UK plant went on to produce 2,368,704 Micras (two generation models) over the next 18 years, which is more than 40% of all cars built at the plant since production began in 1986.

Following on from the presentation of the 2011 Micra at the Geneva Show earlier this year, Nissan introduced the Japanese domestic market (JDM) version of the all-new supermini called the March, which goes on sale this week.

Unlike its predecessors, the fourth-generation of the JDM March is manufactured in Thailand, marking a new trend for Japanese automakers to move more production out of the country to lower the manufacturing costs.

However, Nissan was quick to point out that it has set up a special inspection process at its Oppama plant in Japan, which produced the previous generation model, to make additional quality checks on the Thai-made March.

Nissan may have introduced a new generation of the Micra at the Geneva Motor Show today, but make no mistake; the Juke is the model that the Japanese automaker is betting on to win the hearts and minds of European consumers in the extremely competitive small car class.

Featuring a radical (or controversial, it depends on your point of view) styling, an interior inspired by motorbikes and a range-topping 190HP 1.6-liter turbocharged petrol engine with four-wheel drive, the Qashqai's smaller brother is pitched by Nissan as an alternative to the traditional B-segment hatchbacks (a.k.a. superminis).

The covers came off the all-new Nissan Micra today at the 80th Geneva Motor Show. Developed and built on Nissan's all-new V-platform, the Japanese supermini goes global with production set to take place at several overseas manufacturing sites including Thailand, India, Mexico and China.

The fourth generation of the Micra is slightly longer and marginally lower than its predecessor with Nissan claiming that the extended wheelbase has further improved interior space.

Nissan officials confirmed today that the automaker is planning to add a new entry-level model based on the soon-to-be-revealed Micra in its U.S. market lineup. The next generation Micra (think Toyota Yaris and Ford Fiesta competitor), which was teased with a pair of renderings as well as a set of leaked design sketches, is based on Nissan's so-called "V-platform" that is said to give birth to two additional models aside from the hatchback, including a four-door sedan and a multipurpose vehicle.

"V platform" manager Vincent Cobee said that the Nissan's engineers spent four years to find ways to reduce production costs and weight out of a small car.

According to the company, the new platform will see a 50 percent improvement in fuel economy (we know, it sounds a bit too optimistic) over the current Micra while the firm's engineers have reduced the total number of parts in the car by 18 percent. For example, while the current Micra's cockpit has 56 parts, the new model will have 27.

According to Autonews that attended the press event at the Nissan's headquarters today, the U.S. market will play a significant role in the firm's plan to sell a million vehicles a year from all the derivatives of the newly created "V platform".

However, Nissan did not reveal which of the three models will come to the States nor when they go on sale or if the U.S.-market vehicle(s) will be produced in the States.

Nissan said that the new global Micra, which is set to make its debut next year, will be made in five different plants around the world, including India, China, Thailand and two other unidentified locations.

Via: Autonews

2011 Nissan Micra / March: Official Sketches Reveal the Less Exciting Nature of the Actual Production Model

A couple of weeks ago, Nissan published a pair of design sketches of its next generation Micra (sold in Japan as the March) suggesting that the firm's new global supermini would boast more sportier and dramatic looks than the current model. Well, sorry to say, but these official drawings of the actual production version that were leaked onto the net imply that the 2011 Micra's styling will be far less daring and grandiose than Nissan wanted us to believe.

We'll get the chance to see how the new generation Micra looks in the flesh at a major car show in 2010, quite possibly at the Geneva Salon next March with sales set to follow in Europe sometime during the second half of the year.

The new Micra that will compete in the B-segment against cars like the Ford Fiesta and Citroen C3 will be produced in five countries including India, China and Thailand. Unlike the current Micra that is built at the firm's UK Sunderland plant, the European market version of the 2011 Micra will be sourced from Renault-Nissan's new facility in Chennai, India.

Via: Carmagazine

Next Nissan Micra / March Supermini Teased in Official Sketches, Sales Start in 2010

These are the first official sketches of Nissan's replacement for the current generation Micra city car, also known as the March in Japan, that will be first launched in Thailand in March 2010 and will be available in more than 150 countries. The Japanese firm did not release any specific details on the hatchback model, which at least from these renderings, brings to mind the second-generation Opel Corsa B of the mid-1990s.

While the two latest generation models of the car sold in Europe were manufactured at Nissan's UK plant in Sunderland, the European market version of the next Micra will be sourced from Renault-Nissan's new facility in Chennai, India.

In 2008 Nissan revealed that an all-new subcompact crossover that has yet to be shown in production form will take up the manufacturing capacity created when production of the current version of the Micra ends in Sunderland in 2010

Nissan noted that the new Micra will be built in five countries including India, China, Thailand and two more locations that have not been disclosed yet.

2011 Nissan 240SX – Silvia and 2010 Micra Turbo Renderings

Nissan Silvia - 240SX and Nissan Micra Turbo

We’ve lost track of the number of times we’ve seen renderings from Japanese publications showing what the Nissan 240SX / Silvia might look like when it debuts sometime in 2010/2011. In its forthcoming October issue, Japanese car magazine ‘Best Car’ takes another shot at the forthcoming 240SX / Silvia replacement that is said to be based on a modified version of the 350Z's FM rear-wheel-drive platform. Additionally, along with the new 240SX / Silvia photoshop, Best Car also shows a rendering of the next-generation Micra (March in Japan) and in particular, the range-topping sport version. Speculation is that the sport Micra will be equipped with a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine powering the front wheels. -One more pic after the jump

Source: Best Car

Nissan Micra 25th Anniversary Edition with free iPod for Europe

To celebrate a quarter century of Micra sales in Europe, Nissan has developed a special edition series of the Micra hatchback and C+C Coupe-Cabriolet. The anniversary models will be called Micra 25 and they will be offered exclusively in a unique deep purple colour enhanced with silver effect door mirrors, handles and body mouldings along with new wheel trim designs. All special edition Micras will also get a rear privacy glass fitted as standard and a ‘25’ logo badge on the rear door. -Continued

Inside the anniversary Micras come equipped with a tailor made docking station designed for the iPod nano, as well as audio control via the steering wheel mounted buttons. And if you don’t have a iPod, no need to worry as a unique Micra engraved 4Gb iPod nano loaded with Nissan-specific content is supplied free with the 25th Anniversary Micra. The content of the nano consists of a selection of 10 different songs, a series of Micra photography and a Micra TV advert.

Sales of Micra 25 Anniversary edition will begin across Europe from early August.

Nissan Releases Commemorative March / Micra Models

Nissan is celebrating the March’s (Micra in Europe) 25th anniversary in Japan by offering three new special editions models. The March 25th Happiness, March Plus Safety and March KISEKAE are priced between 1,189,650 - 1,566,600 yen ($10,500 to $14,000) The March 25th Happiness is available exclusively in a beige body color and it features an odor-absorbing headliner, automatic interior lighting system and other additional equipment options. -Continued after the jump

The March Plus Safety is based on the March 25th Happiness (2WD/4WD), adding extra features for enhanced occupant safety, including SRS side airbags for the driver and front passenger, SRS curtain airbag and Xenon headlamps (low beam with an automatic levelizer).

Finally, the March KISEKAE offers a choice of two exclusive seat covers - Bubbly or Striped - to suit the individual styles of the customer. The model offers exclusive interior trims and pedals to match the seat upholstery. According to Nissan, the March KISEKAE (meaning "dress up" in Japanese) allows customers to customize the interior such as the seat covers, according to their personal tastes.

2008 Nissan Micra: High-Res Image Gallery

Nissan might have overlooked yesterday to add images to the 2008 Micra’s press release but here at Carscoop we don’t like leaving loose ends so we spent 5 minutes of our life to dig them out this morning. Too bad it wasn’t worth it… Just like in 2005 when Nissan revised the current Micra for the first time, changes are so subtle that you’ll need to be a Micramaniac to spot them. We’ve added the press release after the jump but for those of you that want to hear it from us, the '08 Micra is distinguished by subtle chrome touches, darkened headlamp surrounds and blackened ‘B’ pillars on the outside and new materials and colors along with a new audio system inside. Both '08 Micra versions -hatch & C+C, will debut at the Frankfurt Show in mid-September. -Click "Read More..." for more high-res images and the press release

Press Release New Micra

A more mature Micra will be one of the stars of Nissan’s stand at the Frankfurt motor show. Micra celebrates its upcoming fifth birthday with subtle changes to its external appearance, interior trim, as well as the addition of new items of user-friendly equipment.

Thanks to clever use of visual features such as subtle chrome touches, darkened headlamp surrounds and blackened ‘B’ pillars, Micra enters a new phase of its life looking more sophisticated, more modern and more mature.

Inside, new materials and revised colour treatments again provide a more mature and sophisticated ambience. The model line up has been simplified, now with four main grades: Visia, Acenta, Tekna and the premium Active Luxury grade.

The philosophy of providing “Friendly Technology” on the Micra continues. One example is the new double DIN radio/CD player. Incorporating Bluetooth® technology, it enables calls from a compatible mobile phone to be channelled through the audio system. With a control switch neatly incorporated on the steering wheel, calls can be placed and received hands-free.

An additional feature is an auxiliary input jack socket that allows music from personal MP3 players to be heard through the car’s stereo system. Another new piece of equipment offering greater safety and convenience in equal measure is a speed limit warning. Activated by a switch on the leather-bound steering wheel, a warning chime sounds when a pre-set speed limit is breached.

Nissan To Present Mixim Concept, Micra Color + Concept & 2008 Micra In Frankfurt

Nissan just came out with its 2007 Frankfurt Show menu which will consist of an electrically powered concept, the Mixim, a concept version of the Micra C+C with a special paint job and the revised 2008 Micra. Apparently the most interesting “artifact” on Nissan’s stand will be the Mixim, a 3,700 mm long mini with a coupe-like body that’s powered by Nissan’s ‘Super Motor’ electric motor/generator and using compact lithium-ion batteries. One Super Motor powers the front axle and a second drives the rear axle, giving Mixim all-wheel drive. Inside, the driver sits centrally, with two seats either side, while the steering wheel and controls are said to be inspired by the interfaces familiar to computer gamers. -Full press release along with high-res images after the jump

NISSAN AT THE FRANKFURT MOTOR SHOW 2007

Mixim, an electrically-powered concept car
Micra Colour + Concept, a showcase for “liquid metal” paint effect
Newly revised Micra

TRAPPES, France (23rd August, 2007) – At this year’s 62nd Frankfurt Motor Show, Nissan will be showing an all new concept car, a one-off show car based on an existing model and a heavily revised production car.

Mixim Concept Car

The Mixim concept car is a compact vehicle for young drivers who are mostly engaged by their computer and the world via the internet. The driver sits centrally, with two seats either side, while the steering wheel and controls are inspired by the interfaces so familiar to computer gamers.

Powered by Nissan’s ‘Super Motor’ electric motor/generator and using compact lithium-ion batteries, Mixim has unusually rapid performance combined with a usefully extended range. One Super Motor powers the front axle and a second drives the rear axle, giving Mixim all-wheel drive.

Mixim takes the most up-to-date electric vehicle (EV) technology and clothes it in a svelte and distinctive coupé shape. Its wraparound windscreen, inspired by the visor of a crash helmet, dominates the profile while the swept back windscreen, flowing roofline and sharply truncated rear hints at sporting performance unexpected from an electric vehicle.

Diamond-shaped styling cues feature inside and out, notably on the twin air intakes to the rear of the doors and the front LED driving lights, while an upper triangular side window links the gentle slope of the roof with the dramatic angular slash that runs through the centre of the doors. The rear hatch opens to reveal a large trunk area behind the three seats. An occasional fourth seat is also housed behind the front seat module.

Sitting on a 2530mm wheelbase, Mixim is 3700mm long, 1800mm wide and 1400mm high, the Mixim is shorter and lower than Micra, though slightly wider. It weighs just 950kg.

Despite being a concept car with no guarantee of being turned into a series production model, Mixim’s development is in line with the Nissan Green Program, the company’s publicly stated desire to create a more sustainable mobile society.

Throughout the show, the Mixim will be driving from a low stage via a ramp to an elevated display platform on the Nissan stand.

Micra Colour + Concept show car

The Micra Colour + Concept show car has been designed and conceived at Nissan Design Europe, the company’s European design headquarters in London, to showcase the latest colour and paint technology and to highlight the changes that have been made to the entire Micra range.

The biggest visual impact, however, is the paint effect. Micra Colour + Concept has been given a two-tone treatment with a Liquid Metal gold paint effect running over the top of the car and contrasting with the three coat pearlescent white finish on the car’s flanks.

The gold finish has an intense depth that makes it appear liquid to the touch. The extreme metallic look is the result of a special-effect pigment added to the paint.

Inside the Colour + Concept theme continues with a high contrast between the upper and lower portions of the interior. Re-upholstered in sumptuous white leather, the seats have accented detailing and stitching. Carpets and lower internal panels are a darker acid yellow to contrast with the pale upper portion of the dashboard.

New Micra

2007 Nissan Micra / March Facelift

Nissan has launched a facelifted version of the March mini (known in Europe as Micra) in Japan today, June 6. Still trying to find the differences? Don’t blame you cause we had the same problem too. Since we have no intention whatsoever of spending our or your time for that matter, trying to discover the extra air dam in the bumper we’ll just say that, according to Nissan, enhancements to the new March include exterior and interior refinements, new user-friendly features such as Intelligent Key, an available Aero Style Package and a special "Plus navi HDD" model. PS: We couldn’t resist posting up a pic of the March Bolero edition; if that’s not a “kitty-cat…”- faced car we don’t know what is… -Full press release and images after the jump

PRESS RELEASE

A refined exterior and interior

Among the many refinements made to the March, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this model year, are a restyled front end appearance with revised headlamp and grille designs, as well as expanded application of the top-line front bumper specification.

The March comes in a selection of 12 attractive body colors, including four all-new colors: Sakura Pearl Metallic, Chamomile Green Pearl Metallic, Framboise Red Pearl (two-stage) and Pacific Blue Pearl Metallic. In conjunction with this minor model change, additional body colors have been adopted for the 12SR and 15SR-A*1 models.

March's interior features a new trim color, Cacao, which creates a rich and stylish ambience. Additionally, a redesigned meter cluster (4-speed AT models only) now features a carbon-like silver color, which combines with the new silver-embellished center console to give the interior a stylish design. Other enhancements include adoption of newly designed seat and door trim fabric and a driver's seat armrest (E and G models).

Nissan's Intelligent Key system and body-colored door handles have been added to the list of standard features (E models), while steering wheel controls have been added to E and G models. The new March also adds an audio system auxiliary port for connecting digital audio players or other portable music device (excluding the 12B and SR models).

"Plus navi HDD" special specification model

Based on the March 12S and 14S FOUR, the new "Plus navi HDD" model is designed to provide exceptional value. The centerpiece of this new model is an exclusive HDD-based navigation system featuring a high-speed, large-capacity 30-gigabyte hard disk drive. The "Plus navi HDD" model also adds a leather-wrapped 3-spoke steering wheel, among other special appointments.

The revised March model lineup includes two new optional packages: a factory-installed Aero Style Package (available on all models except the 12B and SR versions) and a factory-installed Square Interior Package (available on the 12E, 15E and 14E FOUR).

Sales target and pricing

The sales target for the new March is 3,000 units/month, with pricing ranging from 1,103,550 yen to 1,782,900 yen, including consumption tax. The March is being marketed under the "SHIFT_happiness" tagline.

Technorati: Nissan, Nissan+March, Nissan+Micra, cars, autos, vehicles

Carscoops

Nissan Launches Super Clean Micra DIG-S Turbo with CO2 Emissions of just 95 g/km

Nissan Announces Nine Models for Tokyo Auto Salon Including Juke Sporty and Leaf Aero Concept

New Nissan Sunny Sedan Unveiled at China Auto Show. Is this the New 2012 Versa?

Nissan Recalls 2.1 Million Vehicles Worldwide Over Ignition Problem

Smart Teases New Four-Door Model for USA, and yes, it's a Nissan Micra in Disguise...

Nissan to Unveil Townpod EV Concept at Paris Show

Nissan Micra Production Comes to End in the UK after 18 Years

Thai-Made 2011 Nissan March goes on Sale in Japan [Plus 49 Photos]

2011 Nissan Juke Crossover Premieres in Geneva: New Photos Plus Video

All New Nissan Micra Breaks Cover at 2010 Geneva Show

Nissan Planning to Sell a New Low-Cost, Micra-Based Model in the USA