Nissan Micra/Geneva MS
KEEPING SMALL CARS SIMPLE
Entering its fourth generation, Nissan’s Micra has consistently been a big success for Nissan in Japan, Europe and other strategic markets, gaining a reputation as a reliable, stylish, accessible compact car enjoyed by a wide cross-section of customers.
“This was not just a new car, but a breakthrough project. From the very beginning, we changed the way we worked. We created a whole new working method in the way we developed cars.” Vincent Cobee, Programme Director, V-Platform, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
At a glance:
- All new Versatile platform conceived to be light weight
- New Micra to be sold in 160 countries and….
….manufactured in four different plants
- Spacious interior allied to compact exterior dimensions
- All new 3-cylinder petrol engine including….
….supercharged and direct injection version with emissions of 95g/km to be added to the line up later
OVERVIEW
Developed and built on Nissan’s all-new V-platform, which was developed under a comprehensive new production engineering process, the new Micra (known as March in Japan) was designed and tested in Japan to be built in at least four overseas locations, and fine-tuned to meet the differing tastes and needs of customers in 160 countries worldwide.
Breaking with traditions that focused on launching production in established markets like Europe and Japan, Nissan will base production of the new Micra at overseas manufacturing sites such as Thailand, India, Mexico and China. This project was borne out of two critical factors; growing customer needs for – and access to - compact cars in those emerging markets and recognition that Nissan has not had a strong presence in these segments which occupy more than 20 per cent of the world market. Such a global strategy gives Nissan an opportunity to utilize its global reach and technical capabilities.
Equally, it is key that in Europe and Japan (where it is sold under the name March), Micra’s history and heritage is built upon. It has deservedly established a reputation for being easy to own and run, as well as a pleasure to drive. In short, Micra has always made an asset of doing the basic things well and keeping it simple – values that remain at the heart of the new Micra.
EXTERIOR DESIGN
Design director for the Nissan brand, Koji Nagano, who oversees design of all its passenger vehicles, says that his team tackled three areas in designing the new vehicle.
"First, the car must target a very broad spectrum of people worldwide, and so must satisfy a multitude of needs in one package. The second challenge was designing to a class-leading quality level inside and out. Just because a car is compact, doesn’t mean customers will accept lower standards of quality - we know customers expect nothing less than the best. Our job was to raise the bar on quality while achieving our third goal, to create a compact car that boasts a special touch of design flair."
Simple sophistication
Collaborating closely with engineers from the early stages of the design process, Associate Product Chief Designer, Makoto Yamane, who penned cars like the GT‑R Concept of 2001 and Qashqai concept car from 2004, implemented this project’s design directives by employing three distinct themes: an internationally appealing design; developing a compact and robust body; and creating a more luxurious look and feel that elevated the sense of status.
"The car has to charm a global audience," Yamane says. "Its design has to appeal to as many people as possible around the world, both men and women, young and old. And we are sure it does just that. Its face had to look stylish and have an air of sophistication to it. But the front end also had to be easily approachable, like a friend you can rely on anytime." He stresses that the nose section is shaped with a sculptured, three-dimensional look that culminates in a cleverly designed grille which adds to the car’s on-road presence. The new Micra also retains its classic, distinctive arched side window line – something that is central to its heritage and appeal in Europe and Japan.
Design flair with practicality
The unique design features of this car, including its double-layer integrated grille, meet the company’s requirements to deliver a stylish, high quality vehicle to the global marketplace.
"That’s exactly what we have achieved here," nods Yamane. "And this design makes it a more practical car with great visibility all round. Raised front fender lines make it easier for drivers to see the front corners of the car. And by lowering its centre of gravity and positioning the tyres at the extreme corners of the car with minimal overhang, we have been able to stretch the wheelbase and widen the tread, thus giving the car a bolder stance, better street-cred and greater stability.
“A crucial part of the car’s enhanced road presence comes from its high, accented waistline featuring strong round contours that generate a feeling of robustness and heightened passenger safety," Yamane stresses. "The styling is organic and should feel like an extension of your body. It fits you perfectly and delivers stress-free driving," he adds.
Going against the prevailing trend in new city cars, Micra has retained its compact dimensions, making it ideal for city motoring. Overall dimensions are similar to the current model, with an increase of only 61mm to 3780 mm, width at 1665 mm (+5mm) and height of 1525 (-15mm). And like the existing Micra, the wheel-at-each-corner stance is the key to its spacious interior, giving a wheelbase of 2450 mm, an increase of 20mm. The slight increase in width and small reduction in height reinforce its robust stance, with added benefits of reduced roll during cornering.
The boomerang-shaped grooves on the roof aren’t just for looks either, continues Yamane. ”These roof-line grooves work to reduce resonance in the cabin making the car very comfortable at any speed." Meanwhile the sleek, new roof design and subtle built-in lip spoiler combine to minimize drag, thus improving fuel economy and reducing emissions. Collaborating with this clever roof design, the underbody has been redesigned to improve airflow and maximize downforce. In conjunction with the car’s superb suspension system, these new aero-effects work to significantly lift high-speed stability. Yamane’s aerodynamic achievements were a direct result of his design team’s early collaboration with engineers.
INTERIOR DESIGN
Yamane’s team worked tirelessly to translate the exterior design flair and theme inside the Micra as well. Aiming to create the same sense of exterior style inside the car, Nissan has employed a ‘connected cocoon’ design featuring a dashboard design which takes on a ‘twin bubble’ theme. This refers to the circular instrumentation binnacle and the similarly shaped glovebox compartment on the passenger side, making the cabin look modern and stylish.
The three-pronged meter layout - speedo, tacho and incidentals - on the dashboard is as easy to read and operate as the controls on the centre console which includes climate control and audio. A double-layered glovebox on the front passenger side is complemented by a large upper storage area and other small storage pockets located throughout the car, including the centre console and doors.
Reducing design complexity while increasing quality
Another strategic benefit of working with the engineering department from the very start was two-pronged; Yamane’s team was able to reduce the number of parts while improving quality levels at the same time. “We were able to integrate sections of the interior while reducing the number of necessary parts, a fact that helped to reduce the number of join lines between parts inside the car.” This new compact car has around 18 per cent fewer components than Nissan’s similar-sized small cars. Its dashboard assembly is made up of 28 parts instead of over 50 found on a similar-sized model.
Yamane explains Nissan’s meticulous approach to creating a sophisticated, highly rigid, athletic design that epitomizes stability on road, but masterfully reduces unwanted weight at the same time. "Rather than simply stripping parts off, we did two things. One was to physically integrate two parts into one; the other was to integrate the different functions of two parts, or more, into one. This had the effect of raising quality levels while reducing design complexity and curb weight. This was critical to achieve better fuel economy and lower emissions."
SUSPENSION
Not satisfied merely improving performance levels, Nissan engineers excelled in developing ride and handling characteristics which combine agility, refinement and poise. Thanks to the rigidity of the all-new V-platform, the suspension design can work more efficiently from a solid basis, meaning steering is accurate, precise and provides good feel and turn-in. Equally, all the weight saving initiatives mean that braking results in less dive, increasing stability and driver confidence.
The new Micra’s suspension has been designed to be both compact, minimising intrusion at the rear for optimum trunk space, but not at the expense of its effectiveness. Thanks to the overall efforts to control the car’s weight, the suspension therefore has an easier job, with less mass to control.
Particular attention has been paid to bump absorption, meaning the Micra will ride serenely over challenging road surfaces, minimising shocks and vibrations, with well controlled secondary ride comfort, meaning wallow and float never enter the equation.
But, the Micra’s characteristic agility, manoeuvrability and responsiveness have been preserved – largely thanks to the chassis’ light weight – so dynamic driving delivers positive responses, and roll, pitch and dive are all kept to a minimum thanks to finely honed spring and damper rates.
Big-car refinement
Engineers have also worked hard to minimise intrusion into the cabin of Noise Vibration and Harshness (NVH), maintaining occupant comfort levels. This translates into a quieter cabin where conversation is possible, even when in the upper reaches of the Micra’s speed range. This is key for several markets in Europe where it is common to drive at speeds approaching 170 km/h, something the car must be able to handle confidently and comfortably.
ENGINES
Globally, several different engines are available according to local tastes and the role Micra will play in the range.
In Europe, a simple engine line-up sees just two engine options – both are variations on Nissan’s all-new HR12 1.2-litre petrol three cylinder engine. Inheriting its DNA from the HR16 4-cylinder engine found in Note and Qashqai, the new engine employs valve-timing control (VTC). Power is rated at 59kW (80PS), while torque output is 108Nm. CO2 for this version will be an excellent for a base petrol engine, with only 115g/km.
In addition to the new normally aspirated engine, Nissan will also offer a supercharged 1.2-litre direct injection iteration with start-stop system as standard in Europe later on. These technological innovations – stop-start reduces CO2 by six per cent - combine to offer spirited performance, with ouputs of 72kW (98PS) and 142Nm of torque, but emissions will be 95g/km, an exceptional achievement for a petrol engine.
Furthermore, Micra is anticipated to lead in terms of low emissions but without customers having to pay a premium, which is the norm in Europe. Combine that with the fact that in some European countries, such low emissions qualify for tax breaks and even rebates and the new Micra will sit on its own in the market as being an accessible low-emitter.
Both engine options in Europe can be specified with either a 5-speed manual gearbox, which has a short, direct throw, or Nissan’s highly advanced Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).
Redefining CVTs
Employing a world-first sub-planetary gear, allowing wider gear ratios, this CVT is fitted with a smaller pulley making it 10 per cent lighter than any previous Nissan CVT. It is also more efficient and also more compact. This wider gear coverage enables the new 1.2-litre engine to boost the economy as well as acceleration performance.
COMFORT, FUNCTION AND EQUIPMENT
In contrast to its high speed capability, the car also has superb visibility and a class-topping turning radius of 4.5m and several new technologies that assist with minimizing CO2 emissions and mileage while at the same time making parking easier.
Globally, equipment levels differ by market, but the new Micra is available with some key technological innovations which are designed to simplify day-to-day life for its owners.
The new Micra is available with reversing sensors and a new ‘parking space measurement’ (PSM) device with three skill levels (amateur, normal and expert)to lessen the burden of parking in tight spaces – a unique feature in this segment, and likely to be a popular innovation in Europe where ‘touch parking’ is a way of life.
It also offers an Intelligent Key, Nissan Connect, Nissan’s accessible touch-screen combined audio and satellite navigation system, glass roof, automatic wipers, speed sensitive volume on the audio, a push button start-stop system in addition to a drive computer which supplies drivers with real time fuel economy information, cruising range and outside temperature. On the security side, the car is also fitted with a speed-sensitive automatic door locking system.
SAFETY
In Nissan’s quest to develop a platform for the new Micra that is rigid, yet light, a great deal of attention was paid to providing a strong structure in which occupants would be well protected in the event of an impact. The car is designed to absorb the forces of an impact at front, thanks to the sophisticated crumple zone at the front of the car, while maintaining the integrity of the cabin thanks to a highly reinforced body shell.
While exact specificaction and equipment levels will vary globally, in Europe the new Micra is equipped as standard with anti-lock brakes, dual front airbags, curtain and side airbags, as well as pretensioner seatbelts. Active safety is reinforced with the fitment of anti-lock brakes and Electronic Stability Programme, which will intervenes to cut power and even brakes individual wheels when sensors detect that stability or grip is critical.
Nissan’s commitment to reducing the impact of its products and activities can be clearly seen in the fact that 98 per cent of the materials used in Micra’s construction are recyclable – a factor which is likely to be increasingly important as legislators throughout the world consider steps to protect the environment.
DIMENSIONS AND SPECIFICATIONS
Length 3780 mm
Width 1665 mm
Height 1525 mm
Wheelbase 2450 mm
Kerb weight 945 kgs
Fuel tank 41 litres
Designed in Japan, built overseas using world-class quality
“Unlike the development of sports cars, which are pushed to their limits at race tracks, the ‘proving grounds’ for our compact car were the world’s most stressful cities. And our customers were our test pilots. So we had to visit the various markets around the world and test wide-ranging customer preference. What we found was that no one would compromise on quality, whether in an emerging market or a matured one,” Keno Kato, Segment Chief Product Specialist, Nissan Motor Co. Ltd
To create this ground-breaking Micra, Nissan took into account the results of its global research, including Kato’s conclusions, to develop the new model at its Global Production Engineering Centre, or GPEC, located in Zama, Japan. Nissan invited engineers from overseas plants to learn the state-of-the-art Nissan Production Way at GPEC before sending them back to their respective countries with Japanese support staff to assist in start-up procedures and execution of assembly lines. In this way, Nissan maintained its high quality levels while optimizing local production methods with localization rates of over 85 per cent, a critical factor in building a world-class, competitive car.
“For me, this was like confronting the very future of Nissan,” stresses project leader Vincent Cobee. “We made the decision to build the new March/Micra in countries that transcended all markets, and in so doing, have created a superb combination of functionality, modernity, good design and handling, roominess and status satisfaction. The fact that we will not launch this car from Japan or Europe will have absolutely no impact on its quality. Our proven, high quality global production system has guaranteed world-class standards.”
“Clearly we believe this is the right car at the right time. We have developed a good-looking car which is lighter but robust and which provides very competitive roominess and features, as well as top-class fuel efficiency and low emissions. The Micra is a car that demonstrates that customers don’t need to compromise on city-driving. Micra is sophisticated, but also refreshingly simple and together with electric vehicles, it will shape the future of Nissan’s global lineup,” concluded Vincent Cobee.
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