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Carlos Ghosn led Renault-Nissan has launched its fourth and latest car in India in the form of the Micra hatchback. The Micra promises to bring great riches to the company in the country and seal its niche among the major players in the market, if it goes down well with the people.
The Micra was first launched globally in 1982, when Nissan Motors went by the name of Datsun. It was Nissan's answer to the very successful Honda City. In its fourth generation today, the Micra has garnered a reputation for being a dependable, practical and stylish car in its markets in Asia, Europe and elsewhere.
The all-new Micra was first unveiled at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show and is based on Nissan's newly developed V-Platform. The hatchback has been designed and tested in Japan and will be built in atleast four overseas factories, with its hub being Nissan's new Oragadam facility near Chennai. Built at a cost of Rs. 4,500 crores, the factory is the result of a joint venture with Renault and has the capacity to roll out 4 lakh units in a year. However, in its nascent stage, the factory will only manufacture 2 lakh units.
To quote verbatim Nissan's Associate Product Chief Designer, "the car has to charm a global audience. Its face had to look stylish and have an air of sophistication to it." And that is exactly what the designers have managed to achieve, a face that is totally elegant and stylish with its double-layer integrated chrome radiator grille, foglamp flanked prominent air dam and the cherubic swept back headlamps. The short and finely sculpted bonnet adds amply to the sweet persona of the car, as does the arched window line, tastefully crafted flanks and the neat rear with its smart clear lens tail lamps.
The interior of the 2011 Nissan Micra adheres to the stylish and elegant design philosophy of the exterior. The 'twin bubble theme' dashboard design, which refers to the circular instrumentation binnacle and the similarly shaped glovebox is a novel idea as far as designs go. The chrome on black combination so evident on the instrument panel and steering wheel alongwith the orange display creates a soothing ambience and gives the interior a rather up-market look. The new Nissan is slightly longer and lower than the third-generation model, which means more interior space, with room to accommodate five adults. At 251-litres, the boot space which goes further north with the rear 60:40 seats folded down is one of the best in its class, if not the best.
As is the norm with hatchbacks these days, the Micra is considerably well-loaded, as far as instruments and features go. Depending on the variant, the Micra will be available with among other features, ABS with EBD, Brake Assist, automatic climate control, MP3 entertainment system and steering mounted audio as well as telephone controls. All models will have drive airbag as standard fitment, in addition to front passenger airbags in the top-end version.
Nissan has offered the Micra in a single engine option, that being a 1.2-litre petrol. The all-new naturally aspirated 1198cc, 3-cylinder, DOHC, set-up is a testament of the carmakers prowess when it comes to manufacturing clean, refined, efficient and high quality engines. The engine which produces 76PS@6000rpm of peak power and maximum torque of 104Nm@4000rpm, borrows its DNA from the HR12 4-cylinder engine and uses the services of a valve timing control (VCT). At only 115gm/km, CO2 emissions are truly world class. The V platform on which the Micra is based allows for enhanced fuel-efficiency, delivering 14.5kmpl in the city and 18.06kms on the highway to a litre of petrol, due to its light weight. The light weight body in conjuction with the efficient 5-speed manual gearbox also plays a role in the Micra's decent acceleration rate. The hatchback can notch up 100kmph from 0 in 14.5 seconds and has a top speed of 160kmph.
The Micra is available in three models- XE, XL and XV. To keep the price down, the India specific Micra constitutes of 85% local parts and components. The base XE version retails for Rs. 3,98,000 (ex showroom New Delhi), while the XL variant sports a price tag of Rs. 4,69,500 (ex showroom New Delhi). The top-end XV version will set one back by Rs.5,28,000 (ex showroom New Delhi).
The 2011 Nissan Micra is a cherubic and stylish hatchback and has been designed to appeal to a unisex crowd. With its extremely efficient engine, good looks, generous amount of equipments and a reasonable price tag, it looks like the Micra just might be Nissan's first bestseller in the country and the driving force of its ambitions.
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Nissan Micra XE |
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| Specifications: |
Test Vehicle: Nissan Micra XE
Base Price: Rs. 3,98,000 (Ex showroom Delhi)
Engine Type: 1.2-litre, 3-Cylinder, DOHC, MPFI, In-line, Petrol
Engine Size and Type: 1,198cc
Engine Max Power: 76PS at 6,000rpm
Engine Torque: 104Nm at 4,000rpm
Transmission: Five-Speed Manual
Drive System: NA
Max Speed: 160kmph
Fuel Economy (city): 14.5km/litre
Fuel Economy (highway): 18.06km/litre
Length: 3,780mm
Width: 1,665mm
Wheelbase: 2,450mm
Height: 1,530mm
Max. Seating Capacity: Five
Max. Cargo Volume: 251litres
Ground Clearance: NA
Kerb Weight: NA
Warranty: NA |
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