Autoblog

Click the image above for a hi-res gallery of the Micra 160 SR

If there's one thing this blogger hates, it's begging. But Nissan, please bring this car to America. (Was that good enough, Nissan?) If Dr. Evil drove this car, his would declare the same thing I did: "friggin fantastic." Along with the Cube I've already committed to buy, I promise I'll get one of these as well.

This 1.6-liter, five-speed, 110-HP gas-powered version is a volcanic blast to drive. So much so that I ditched the road guide book for the first snaking mountain road I saw, and after going up and down once I spun the little red robin around and did it again. It's more fun than a MINI -- and I really like the MINI. But the Micra 160 SR is hootin' hollerin' hands up hallelujah fun. No wonder it's the best selling Nissan in Europe.

Inside, it's all you need in a spicy little hatch, which is to say not much, but what's there is just right. It's roomy, there's plenty of cargo space -- including a bin under the front passenger seat and a cavernous glove box -- but the cupholders will only do tiny cups. Although it's not like you'll have time to drink, with all the hooning you'll be doing. And the car is so adorable it teaches buttons how to be cute. I'm a fan. Nissan, the phrase you're looking for is: US regulatory approval.


You can check out the Nissan 360 event site for more details on all the vehicles in Nissan's lineup and company stats. In the mean time, be sure to check out the gallery of hi-res photos below.

Travel and lodging for this media event were provided by the manufacturer.

Click image for gallery of the updated Nissan march

On Tuesday, Nissan released a facelifted version of its Japanese-market March. One can only assume that these changes will ultimately be seen in Europe as well in the form of an updated Micra, but we'll just have to wait and see how that pans out. Anyway, the freshened March gets new headlamps, revised grilles, and an available front bumper treatment that'll see wider use as standard equipment across the line. Other changes include the implementation of Nissan's I-Key, some new paint colors, a new HDD Navi model and a Cacao-colored interior option.

Also updated are the odd-looking March Bolero and the MINI-aping (look at the grille) March Rafeet. The kitted, more aggressive-looking SR models are pretty cool, too. In addition to the March facelift, Nissan's introducing the Micra C+C in Japan for the first time. For whatever reason, it retains its Euro-market name after making the trip to Japan.

More info can be found in the press releases after the jump.

[Source: Nissan]

Narrowly missing setting a new reocrd for the largest recall in the company's history, Nissan is recalling 1.01 MIL March (aka Micra) and Cube models. That figure is just 20,000 vehicles shy of the 1.03 MIL car recall they issued in 2003. The current recall is to fix faulty fuel tanks that may leak or crack. According to the just-auto report, UK-built Nissan Micras are not effected, only Japanese built samples.

Nissan joins Honda in announcing a million-plus-vehicle recall in just the past month. The staggering volume of the recalls is due to the fact that many manufacturers are sharing as many components across their lineup as possible to reduce costs through economies of scale. Unfortunately, that means when there is an issue with one of those parts, a whole lot of them need to be fixed. While only 59 complaints have been filed, they were enough to warrant the recall. The cars involved were built between 1991 and 2000, and only about 600,000 are still believed to be on the road. The bulk of those are in Japan, but some are still in use in Singapore and Brunei, according to a Nissan spokesperson.

[Source: just-auto]

At the top of a reshuffled Nissan Micra lineup in the UK sits the flagship Micra Sport SR, which is essentially a Micra 160SR with a new name (It's part of the newly-created "Sport" Collection, hence the updated moniker). Nissan UK is responsible for its design, engineering and manufacture, and it will make its debut at next week's London International Motor Show.

Appropriately (or actually, maybe not, based on the picture above), the Sport SR featured in the press photos advertises its Brit creds with a full-body Union Jack motif that makes MINI's rooftop flags look like mere bumper stickers. Nissan assures us that the Micra's flag scheme is not a production option, so good taste prevails. Rest assured, the quirky-cool Micra looks a lot better in solid colors.

The Micra Sport SR is available in bespoilered 3 and 5-door body styles. Foglights, tinted headlamps, and 16" wheels complete the list of Sport Collection visual upgrades. It also gets climate control, automatic lights and windshield wipers, side airbags, a 6CD changer and stability control. The 1.6L 4-cylinder underhood makes 110 horsepower and is connected to a 5-speed manual. Performance is not earth-shattering by any means (0-60 in around 9.5 seconds), but is perfectly adequate for an everyday runabout.  Estimated "on the road" pricing (including VAT, etc) is £10,995 for the 3-door and £11,645 for the 5-door.

Nissan Technical Centre employees also prepped a set of matching geese (yes, geese ... don't ask me) to go with their super-patriotic paint scheme. See them after the jump.

(Goose photo, Press release after the jump)

[Source: Nissan UK]