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While Tata Motors showed up in full force to make its impression at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, the show stealer was the Nissan Micra - revealed finally, set to be made and sold in India this year!
We have seen this happen before, first with the Maruti Suzuki A-Star/Alto, then more recently with the Chevy Beat and the Volkswagen Polo - and from the looks of it we'll watch it all happen again as a major international carmaker vies for a share of the voluminous Indian small car space. This time it will be the reformed Japanese giant Nissan which is set to storm India and the world with the latest generation of its small car, the Micra.
While news about the Micra had already been flowing thick with leaked spy shots, sketches and even an official briefing about the car's new 'V'ersatile platform on which the compact hatchback would be based, official pictures and information of the car have just been released fresh from Geneva, just in time as this issue was going in print. And trust us when we tell you that this car could not just change Nissan's fortunes in India, but around the world.
Before we get into the nitty-gritties of the car, the most important part of the story which marks a big divergence on Nissan's part with the Micra is moving car production out of established markets like Europe and Japan. For now, the new smallie for the world will be produced in four major - and more vitally, low cost production hubs around the world - Thailand, India, Mexico and China. Climbing production costs has made Nissan (and chief ally Renault) to look at manufacturing hubs around the world to increase profitability, and the Micra will be the first car for the Jap carmaker to adopt this approach.
Without the artist's impressions the real charm and promise of the Micra's design come to light. The design of new car comes across as modern and avant-garde but still with enough cute Micra genes that will allow international markets to relate with the product that has already made a name for itself. Small out, big inside - the age old small car formula makes an appearance on the car again, along with equally refreshing yet not excessively flamboyant interiors. The wheels positioned almost at the four extremes of the car have not only given it a larger wheelbase and more space inside, but should also improve the car's poise and dynamics.
When it comes to engine options, the Micra will come with a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder engine which will churn out an at-par 80PS of power and 108Nm of torque. Keeping its enthusiast base in mind however, Nissan has also revealed plans for a supercharged direct-injection hot-hatch version which will put out close to a 100 horses and 142Nm of torque. It is unlikely that this version will make its way into India though, but the angry little engine will do its bit to set the car apart from the hot hatch-crowd. India will get the regulation 5-speed manual; even though Nissan's well-perfected CVT transmission will be an option internationally. A revamped suspension will also help the agile V-platform based car to remain composed over poor road surfaces - certainly an engineering effort aimed to please the Indian market.
If only it was this easy to please the Indian market, though. Pricing will be crucial, and we expect Nissan's long and lacklustre tenure in India must have driven home the point well. Add to that not just the recent, but also the future emergence of strong competitors like the Chevrolet Beat, the Volkswagen Polo and the Ford Figo in an already choc-a-bloc marketplace, and it's easy to see how the Micra will need more than just cuteness to make its mark on the Indian hatchback space. Sales begin in Thailand in March, and should follow in India shortly thereafter, so stay tuned to see if Nissan's ambitious new venture has enough firepower to shake up the competition.
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