Next-Gen Nissan Micra Headed Stateside
Nissan’s got a new platform (codename “V”) that will underpin a number of low-cost body styles for third-world markets… like the US. According to Automotive News [sub], a four-door sedan, a five-door hatchback and a multipurpose vehicle will be based on the sub-Versa platform, collectively replacing the non-US-market Micra. Nissan hopes to sell a million of the three-cylinder subcompacts annually worldwide, necessitating a US campaign that will launch sometime after 2010. The vehicles will offer 50 percent fuel economy improvements over the Micra, use 18 percent fewer parts, and will not be built in Japan as Nissan has sought to keep costs for the range as low as possible. Auto Motor und Sport adds the crucial consideration that the new model will not fall into the gender-specific categorization that caused 80 percent of German Micra sales to come from women. Thank goodness for that then.
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Considering the Micra competes head on with the Fiesta/Polo/Yaris crowd, it's odd they're aiming it below that market here in the US. It'll pretty much only compete with the Chevy Spark, whenever that arrives. Then again it's consistent with the Versa being a size bigger than its rivals - their subcompact Versa is really C-segment-sized, so their city car Micra will be subcompact-sized. Or something like that. I on the other hand like the idea of replacing the blah Sentra with the kinda nice Versa (or, preferably, renaming the next Versa the Sentra, and making a less weird sedan version) and marketing the Micra as the $10,000-15,000 car.
psarhjinian : That's a fair assessment and I agree wholeheartedly. I almost never see a current gen Sentra on the road. I probably see 10x as many Versas. I don't know what the problem is with the current Sentra but it must have the stink of death on it for as many as I see on a daily basis.
Like psarhjinian mentioned, it'll be interesting to see how Nissan is going to juggle the lineup here to avoid cannibalization. I think the closest thing to the Micra currently available in the States is the two-door Yaris hatch. I can't stand the current Micra--looks way too French. Like a (gag) C3 Pluriel.
A very tiny car. If it gets decent MPG could be popular with long-commute secretaries in hard-to-park areas. My parents own a 91 civic hatch with low miles that has much more room inside length and width-wise (but its height is much shorter) for about the same very low weight. a 5-sp 1.35 lt Euro spec thing, still looks and drives like new.