THE REVISED NISSAN MICRA
“The Nissan Micra has been our most successful car to date, competing in a fiercely competitive sector of the market. The revised styling and new interiors give us the opportunity to attract a wider range of customers, by offering them a car to suit their individual tastes. Together with Nissan’s renowned build quality and reputation for reliability, these changes ensure that the revised Micra remains competitive in the marketplace.”
Brian Carolin, Managing Director, Nissan Motor (GB) Limited
Revised for 2000, the highly practical Nissan Micra has been further improved. Restyled inside and out, the Micra is now even easier to drive, with improved performance, handling and brakes and an extended list of safety, security and convenience features. Performance has been improved with the addition of a larger capacity 1.4-litre engine to the range (replacing the 75PS 1.3-litre engine), which offers improved power and flexibility and reduced emissions.
Highlights of the revised Nissan Micra at a glance:
· Revised styling changes give the Micra a lower, wider look
· Revised grade structure – echoing the new Almera and Primera
· New front and rear lights, new bumpers, side sills and mouldings underline quality image
·
Revised
interior has redesigned dashboard and extensive convenience features including
bottle-holders, map pockets and convenience hooks
The revised Nissan Micra…2
· Two distinctly different interior trims – Traditional and Contemporary to appeal to a wider range of tastes
· Revised engine line-up includes economical 60PS 1.0-litre petrol engine and revised 82PS 1.4-litre petrol engine (replacing the 1.3-litre engine) with increased power and torque and reduced emissions
· Choice of improved five-speed manual transmission and Nissan’s highly acclaimed CVT transmission which now has improved shifts, better acceleration and enhanced low-speed drivability, including “creep” feature
· Improved braking performance from uprated ABS plus Nissan Brake Assist and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution – allowing shorter stopping distances with reduced pedal pressure
· New safety and security features including additional ISOFIX child seat fixing point, repositioned high-mounted stop lamp and NATS Step V immobiliser
· Design changes carried out at Nissan Technology Centre Europe (NTC-E) at Cranfield in Bedfordshire with the co-operation of the Nissan Design Europe studio (NDE) in Germany
Exterior Styling
The familiar Micra look, which has proved its appeal to a broad cross section of buyers, has been refreshed and updated. From the front and rear, the Micra looks wider and lower, due to the redesigned front and rear bumpers. At the front, the bumper has corner inserts, in either grey or chrome, giving more definition to the corners of the car. The lower bumper section and side sill are finished in dark grey adding to the lower, wider look of the car.
At the rear, distinctive new combi-lamps have been added. There is also a more streamlined rear wiper, a bolder shape for the rear licence plate surround and a new, larger high-mounted stop lamp which is now located at the top of the rear window.
The revised Nissan Micra…3
The revised Micra features three new colours – China Blue and Lava Red are designed to appeal to the younger, sportier driver and Burberry – a dark metallic red designed to appeal to the more traditional customer.
Interior Styling
The changes to the interior of the Micra and the availability of two trim variations emphasise the up-market feel of the car and offer the possibility of two distinct characters, to reflect the different personalities of the different customers.
For all models, the dashboard has been restyled with a new, more upmarket two-tone treatment adding a more quality feel across the full width of the dashboard. The four-spoke steering wheel is a new design, similar to that in the new Almera and the instrument binnacle is updated with clearer graphics on a restyled combi-meter. The dashboard also adds practicality with a new moulded dash-top area in the centre adding a useful, easily accessible storage space for smaller items. New convenience features include a map pocket on the back of the passenger seat, a bottle holder in each of the reshaped front door pockets and on all five door models, a retractable convenience hook in the rear passenger side.
The revised interior features new seat trim materials designed to appeal to different tastes – Traditional and Contemporary. The traditional interior features more subtle colours on the lower dash, steering wheel, seat and door trims. The contemporary interior features much bolder colours and stronger contrasts on the seat and door trims, the lower dash and the steering wheel. It also features silver finishes on the central console, door handles, side vents and gear knob.
Engines
The Micra features a choice of two four-cylinder, 16-valve petrol engines – the best selling 1.0-litre which develops 60PS at 6,000rpm and 59lb ft of torque at 4,000rpm and the revised 1.4-litre petrol, which replaces the 75PS 1.3-litre engine.
The revised Nissan Micra…4
The CGA3 1.4-litre petrol engine which replaces the CG13 engine not only has more power but also more flexibility. As previously, it is a compact and lightweight alloy-blocked, four-cylinder, 16-valve engine, but its capacity has been increased from 1275cc to 1348cc by increasing both the bore and the stroke to give new measurements of 71.0 x 82.8mm.
Peak power has been increased from 75PS to 82PS and peak torque has also been increased from 76lb ft at 4,000rpm to 80lb ft at only 2,800rpm. As well as having a higher peak at a substantially lower engine speed, the torque spread has been flattened out across the range. This improves both the drivability and the low to mid-range performance, making the revised Micra even easier to drive as well as improving performance and response.
Grade structure
The revised Micra is available in five trim levels, bringing it in line with the new Almera and Primera model ranges.
|
Grade |
Engine |
Body Type |
Transmission |
|
S |
1.0/1.4 |
3/5 door |
Manual/CVT |
|
SE |
1.0/1.4 |
3/5 door |
Manual/CVT |
|
Sport |
1.0 |
3/5 door |
Manual |
|
SE+ |
1.4 |
3/5 door |
Manual/CVT |
|
Sport + |
1.4 |
3/5 door |
Manual |
Specification
All models in the revised Micra range come with generous levels of specification, which includes power assisted steering, engine immobiliser, driver’s airbag and front seatbelt pretensioners.
The more
traditional SE and SE+ grades gain keyless entry with Superlocking, rear
headrests, front electric windows, passenger airbag, rear headrests and
air-conditioning. In addition, the SE+
gains a leather
The revised Nissan Micra…5
steering wheel, 14-inch alloy wheels, body coloured electric and heated door mirrors, single disc CD player and ABS with Nissan Brake Assist and EBD.
The contemporary Sport and Sport + models feature keyless entry with Superlocking, body coloured door mirrors and roof spoiler, front foglamps, gear knob with silver inset and single disc CD player. In addition, the Sport+ model gains a passenger airbag, leather steering wheel and front electric windows.
Transmissions
The revised Micra offers both manual and CVT transmission options in the new range – both of them uprated. The five-speed manual transmission has improved gear selection making the Micra a more refined car to drive. Nissan’s acclaimed CVT has been substantially modified, with several benefits. The shift operation is improved leading to better acceleration and drivability across all driving conditions.
By combining the benefits of CVT with a torque converter the Micra transmission now has what many CVT transmissions lack – “creep”. Creep is the characteristic of an automatic transmission which keeps just enough connection between engine and drive to prevent the car from rolling backwards on a gentle slope, and to let it inch forwards in very slow moving traffic without having to touch the accelerator pedal. The same technology also gives the benefit of smoother take-offs from rest and improved acceleration.
Safety and Security
Improvements have been made to both safety and security
features in the revised Micra. Stopping
distances have been reduced due to improvements made to the braking system with
the addition of Nissan Brake Assist and Electronic Brakeforce
Distribution. Other safety improvements
include the addition of a second ISOFIX child seat fixing point in the rear and
the relocation of the high mounted stop lamp to the
The revised Nissan Micra…6
top of the rear window. The revised Micra also features Nissan’s latest anti-theft system – a NATS V immobiliser, which now links to the audio system.
Micra success
· The Micra was the first Japanese-badged model to win the European Car of the Year in 1993
· The Micra was voted Best Supermini by What Car? magazine in 1993 and 1994
· The Micra was voted best in class in the What Car? Security Test in 1995
· In 1998, Micra owners voted the Micra top in the Supermini class for customer satisfaction in the annual JD Power survey
· In September 1999, the one millionth Micra was produced at the Nissan plant in Sunderland, the first Japanese manufacturer in Europe to reach this milestone
· In 1999, the Micra was the best selling 1.0-litre supermini in the UK
· Over 330,000 Micras have been sold in the UK since 1993
Like all Nissans, the revised Micra is covered by Nissan’s comprehensive three-year or 60,000 mile mechanical warranty, three-year paint warranty and six-year perforation corrosion protection. Twelve months roadside assistance – operated in conjunction with the RAC – is also included.
ends…
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Nissan Product and Corporate Affairs on 01923 899930
27107/0900
