Next Micra increases scope

NISSAN will greatly extend the size and scope of its next-generation Micra light car when the new model emerges in 2011, as part of its plan to achieve 10 per cent market share by 2010.

Australian-produced Micra models will most likely switch from Japan to Thailand, as Nissan seeks to become as price competitive as possible against other light cars such as the top-selling Toyota Yaris and Hyundai’s Getz and forthcoming i20.

Nissan already sources its Tiida small car from Thailand, as well as some Navara models and the newly released Maxima large car.

Chennai, India, is also in the running to supply Nissan Australia, although the shipping costs may prove prohibitive.

Codenamed X02A but likely to be known as the K13 series, the next Micra is still in the final phases of development in Europe and Japan, and is expected to debut internationally later in 2010, after production start-up in about the middle of that year.

China and Mexico are also likely manufacturing sites, and perhaps Russia too.

Since December 2007 only the single, five-door hatchback Micra automatic has been available in Australia, priced from a competitive $15,990.

And while this situation won’t change with the current car, an entry-level three-door manual version of the next Micra is believed to be in the wings as Nissan’s riposte to the sub-$15,000 Holden Barina and Getz 1.4 Other details are sketchy, but Nissan design boss Shiro Nakamura has said that the next Micra will be more aggressively styled proposition than today’s soft and curvy model, in an attempt to lure more male buyers.

Nevertheless, there will be a definite visual link between old and new, with the tallboy proportions pioneered with the 1993 Micra (sold in Australia between 1995 and 1997) retained.

The new car is expected to use a heavily revised version of the Renault/Nissan Alliance B-platform that underpins the current model, as well as the Tiida and Renault Clio III, among others.

Speculation is that petrol engine sizes will range from a 1.0-litre three-cylinder unit to 1.2 to 1.5-litre four-cylinder powerplants, with a 1.5-litre dCi turbo-diesel also slated for some European markets.

However, Australian buyers will probably only be offered the larger of the petrol engines available.

Nevertheless, to improve efficiency, direct-injection technology is believed to be on its way for some variants, while a continuously variable transmission is likely as an option to the five and six-speed manual gearbox choices that are mooted.

Sedan and a small MPV people mover are also in the works, but only the former has any chance of appearing in the Australian Nissan line-up for the time being.

Overseas reports suggest that Nissan has decided to make the next Micra in Thailand to participate in the Thai government’s affordable eco-car project, which uses incentives to attract foreign investment.

The upshot is a cheaper source car for Nissan because of Australia’s free trade agreement with Thailand.

This, along with a wider and more appealing range of models, forms part of Nissan’s pricing and position strategy, which underpins the company’s quest for full-line vehicle importer leadership by 2012.

Known as ‘GT 2012’ it will strive for a 10 per cent market share within three years, to leapfrog Mazda, Hyundai and Mitsubishi to the number-one importer slot in Australia.

“The current Micra is very limited, and basically a one-grade, five-door auto in its field. This was very much always intended to be a short-term play because we didn’t have representation in the light-car segment (before 2007),” said Nissan Australia CEO Dan Thompson.

“The next-generation Micra is really the first core model of that GT 2012 strategy, and so it will come to us with a proper range – and not just manual or auto, but in various configurations and grades, like we have in the rest of our line-up.

“So the Micra of today is really unique in its proposition within our portfolio.

“There is manufacturing out of India and also out of Thailand. We have two options from a sourcing perspective, and we will wrap that up very quickly.

“But the next Micra will certainly be a proper, full line-up offering.

“And it will continue to deliver value in the market.”