New Nissan Micra Maximizes Australian Small Car Choice And Value

VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA – October 14, 2010: The all-new Nissan Micra makes its local market debut at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney.

Boasting breakthrough packaging and small-car engineering, the all-new, fourth generation, five-door Nissan Micra will also offer exceptional value for money, priced from just $12,990 RRP complete with Vehicle Dynamic Control, anti-lock brakes, six airbags and air conditioning when it goes on sale in Australia next month.

The new Micra builds on the success of its predecessor, but aims to attract a wider audience with its contemporary good looks, spacious and fashionable interior and a long list of standard safety and convenience features.

It will be available with a choice of two economical powertrains, a choice of manual or automatic transmissions and in three specification grades.

It is the first Nissan to secure a Five Star rating in the Green Vehicles Guide; the new 56kW 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine sips just 5.9-litres per 100km and emits only 138g/km of CO2 in manual guise (6.5l/100km and 154g/km as an automatic).

The larger 75 kW 1.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine consumes only 6.5l/100km, emitting only 153g/km (man) or 6.6l/100km and 156g/km (auto).

High levels of standard safety and security features are now expected across all vehicle segments. So the all-new Nissan Micra comes standard with Vehicle Dynamic Control, Anti-Lock Brakes with Electronic Brake Force Distribution and Brake Assist, as well as front and side and curtain airbags on all models.

In addition, convenience features such as Bluetooth connectivity and a multifunction Drive Computer are standard, along with a unique digital anniversary reminder, air conditioning, remote entry, CD player, AUX MP3 audio input jack and tilt adjust steering column.

The new Nissan Micra will be available in three trim grades, ST, ST-L and Ti, with the top-of-the-range model offering sophisticated features such as the Nissan Intelligent Key and push button engine start/stop, climate control air conditioning, reversing sensors, 15-inch alloy wheels, front fog lights and a unique convenience feature for female drivers; handbag storage.

If the front passenger seat is unoccupied, the rear section of the seat squab can be flipped forward, providing a secure well in which a handbag may be stowed, to stop it rolling around in the footwell, or skidding off the seat under braking or cornering.

From a design perspective, the all-new Nissan Micra has been aerodynamically honed to reduce the coefficient of drag to an impressive 0.32, thanks in part to an optimized roofline. And lowering its centre of gravity and pushing the wheels to the extremities give the car a bolder stance and greater stability. Despite being 55mm longer than the previous Micra, a tight, best-in-class 9m turning circle will be appreciated in city traffic.

The Japanese designers’ brief was to create an exterior that conveys agility and robustness, while the interior should be friendly and welcoming.

“The car has to charm a global audience,” said Makoto Yamane, Associate Product Chief Designer. “Its face has to look stylish and have an air of sophistication to it. But the car’s classic shape was also crucial. That’s why it has a stylised version of the distinctive arched side window line, something central to the Micra’s heritage, identity and appeal around the world.”

Weight saving was another focus of the design team, which devised a unique lightweight, highly rigid roof panel that includes boomerang-shaped grooves to reduce the transmission of noise and vibration into the cabin.

Built on Nissan’s new global V-platform (V = versatile), the all-new Micra has been designed to appeal to customers in a variety of markets, 160 in all, ranging from developed to emerging. A full 98 percent of the materials used in the Micra’s construction are recyclable.

Australian-market Micras are built in Thailand, alongside versions for Japan. The allnew Nissan Micra will also be built in India, China and Mexico.

The previous Nissan Micra launched here in late 2007 with one engine and automatic transmission yet it was able to attract around 20,000 customers.

Now available with two engines, two transmissions and three trim grades; its appeal will cover a broader section of the light car market, increasing its competitiveness against the class leaders.