Nissan at Geneva: Nissan Micra (2010/2011) +video

Nissan has launched their new Global Compact Car - The Nissan Micra 2010 - at Geneva

Nissan’s Global Compact Car first saw the light of day last year in design sketches released by Nissan. And the Nissan GCC signals what the project name suggests – a small car Nissan will market throughout the world. Which infortunately means that the UK – which produced Nissan’s last small car, the previous generation Nissan Micra – isn’t viable as a global producer. So production moves to emerging economies like India and Thailand for the 2010/2011 Nissan Micra.

We had wondered if Nissan would re-name the Micra with this latest iteration, but it appears not (although it is the Nissan March in Japan). Utilising Nissan’s V-Platform the 2010/2011 Micra was designed and developed in Japan and will be built in four plants worldwide to sell the new Micra to 160 countries.

In Europe, just two engines will be on offer – a 79bhp 1.2-litre, three-pot petrol and a supercharged 97bhp 1.2-litre direct injection petrol engine with a start-stop system. Both engines are available with wither a manual ‘box or Nissan’s new CVT.

Although as a global car the new Micra will have very different specs depending on the market in which it’s sold, you can reasonably expect the UK and European Micra to get – or at least the option of – some of the ‘Big Car’ toys available. These include  reversing sensors, a new ‘parking space measurement’ (PSM) device with three skill levels (amateur, normal and expert) to make it easier to park in tight spaces, Intelligent Key, Nissan Connect (touch-screen audio and SatNav), glass roof, auto wipers  and a push button start-stop system.

The 2010 Nissan Micra will go on sale in Thailand this month and in Europe later in 2010. There are more details in the 2010 Nisaan Micra press release plus the photo gallery and video below.

By Cars UK