The Nissan Micra, also known as the , is a supermini car (B-segment) that has been produced by the Japanese automobile manufacturer Nissan from 1982. The March name has always been used in the Japanese markets but also in many export markets across Asia and Latin America and others.
The Nissan Micra/March partially replaced the Nissan Cherry. It was exclusive to the Nissan Japanese dealership network Nissan Cherry Store until 1999 when the Cherry network was combined into Nissan Red Stage until 2003. Until Nissan began selling kei cars in Japan, the March was Nissan's smallest vehicle there. Unlike most Nissans in the domestic market, it was never sold under other names through other distribution chains.
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First generation (K10; 1982)
The original March (chassis name K10) was introduced onto the Japanese market in October 1982 as a challenger to the Honda City, Daihatsu Charade, Suzuki Cultus, and Toyota Starlet. It was intended to replace the Nissan Cherry as the company's competitor in the supermini sector, as the Cherry model had progressively become larger with each successive generation. In Japan, it was exclusive to Nissan Cherry store locations, benefiting from engineering contributions from Nissan's 1966 acquisition of the Prince Motor Company, who originally developed the outgoing Cherry. The car was sold as the Micra in Europe; it had particularly low fuel consumption made possible by a specially developed engine only used in the March/Micra, uncommonly high gearing and a particularly low weight of in early European trim. The low weight target necessitated a minimum of insulation, meaning that early Micras were quite loud.De Leener, p. 100 Japanese owners benefitted from an engine below 1000 cc when it came time to pay the annual road tax obligation.
The body style was originally designed for Fiat as a replacement for the Fiat 127, but Fiat then adopted the Giugiaro-styled Uno instead.Car Magazine It was introduced in the European market in June 1983, and in Canada in 1984 for the 1985 model year (replacing the slightly larger Nissan Pulsar hatchbacks). Because the Micra was launched during Nissan's rebranding effort to systematically phase out the Datsun name, a small appeared on the tailgate for the first two years, and in some European markets, the car was known as the "Datsun-Nissan Micra". The Datsun badges had disappeared completely by the end of 1984. The Micra was initially available with an extremely refined all-aluminium MA10S SOHC engine. European market cars developed or in the high compression version coupled with the five-speed option.De Leener, p. 93 It was also available with either a four-speed or five-speed automatic transmission (called "Nissanmatic"). Both the automatic and five-speed manual gearboxes were unusual in a supermini at this time.Daily Express World Cars 1984 The Nissanmatic model originally had a version of the 1-litre engine.
It was one of several important small cars to be launched onto the European market during 1983. Also launched that year were the Fiat Uno, Peugeot 205, Vauxhall Nova (a Britain-only model which had been launched across Europe the previous year as the Opel Corsa) and the second generation of the Ford Fiesta. It sold well in Britain, being launched there in June 1983 and peaking at more than 50,000 sales for the year in 1989, and was one of the most popular imported cars of its era. It was quietly discontinued in August 2023, and only the fourth-generation model remains in some markets.
Mid-model refresh The model was revised in June 1985, identifiable by a restyled tailgate and larger rear lamp clusters. The Japanese market saw the debut of the first Micra Turbo/MA10ET, where Nissan grafted a turbocharger and added electronic fuel injection to the small 1.0 L engine. This version was never sold in Europe, where the only engines ever available were the 1.0 and 1.2 units. The 1.2, with the larger MA12 1.2 L engine with an electronically controlled carburettor with , arrived in late 1987. A non-catalyzed version produced . Another facelift came in March 1989, which consisted of some minor upgrades such as deeper bumpers, a new front grille, minor interior details, and headlight changes. This was also when the five-door hatchback version was introduced in Europe, shortly before Ford launched the third-generation Fiesta which also offered a 5-door model for the first time.
The Micra's chassis spawned a number of variations. The Be-1 (BK10), launched at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1985 (but not sold until 1987), was a limited-edition model with a more rounded bodyshape, and only 10,000 were sold. In 1987, the canvas-topped, retro-looking hatchback Pao (パオ) (PK10) was launched (also at the Tokyo Motor Show) and sold to the public in 1989; 51,657 units were sold. The canvas-topped Figaro (フィガロ) (FK10) coupé was unveiled at the same show in 1989, but not released until 1991. Because demand for the Figaro exceeded the 20,000 vehicles built, Nissan sold the car by lottery: winners could place orders for the car. Despite being a JDM-only model, the Figaro is one of the most imported models of the K10 derivatives; its popularity among numerous celebrity owners helped it earn cult status. The K10 ceased production on 21 December 1992, although its replacement had gone into production some months earlier.
During its lifetime, the Micra gained a good reputation for reliability and economy. In 1995, it topped the small car class in a reliability survey of four to six-year-old cars undertaken by the German Automobile Association (ADAC), with 7.5 recorded breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles for four-year-old Micras and 11.5 for six-year-old cars: this compared with 8.0 breakdowns per 1,000 cars for four-year-old Volkswagen Polos and 15.3 for six-year-old Polos.. (The class loser was the Fiat Uno with 20.7 breakdowns per 1,000 for four-year-old cars and 37.3 for six-year-old Unos. In the longer term, the Micra would also go on to achieve a much higher survival rate than many of its competitors.)
For the 1991 model year, a rebadged Nissan Sentra B12 entered Canada to replace the Micra as the Nissan Sentra Classic after Nissan announced it would not import the Micra to Canada after 1991. The Sentra Classics were built in Mexico.
Super S
The European market Super S trim became available along with the second facelift in 1989. Sporty Super S included a factory body kit, racing seats and a tachometer and was only available in black, gray, white and red. Despite its appearance it had the same MA12 engine as the standard K10 Micra, although catalytic converters were a non-deletable feature on the car making them slightly less powerful than the non-cat cars.
Super Turbo
In 1988, Nissan launched a limited 10,000-unit run of its homologated (certified) Nissan 1989 Micra Super Turbo (EK10GFR/GAR). Both this and the 1988 Micra R (EK10FR) featured the same highly advanced sequential compound charged (supercharger plus turbocharger) engine in an all-aluminium straight-four 930 cc eight-valve MA09ERT unit that produced at 6400 rpm. This car came with either a 3-speed automatic or 5-speed manual gearbox with viscous limited slip differential, as well as options such as air conditioning and electric mirrors. The Micra Super Turbo still holds the crown for the fastest production Micra in Nissan's history, with factory performance figures of 7.7 seconds to go from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) and 15.5 seconds to run a quarter-mile. It has a top speed of (the maximum allowed to Japanese production cars at the time) and continued to be built until December 1991.
Second generation (K11; 1992)
Micra K11 (1992)
The second-generation K11 was built in the UK, Japan and Taiwan. It was launched in Japan in January 1992, and released in Europe in the fourth quarter of the year. It was powered by brand new all-aluminium 1.0 L (CG10DE) and 1.3 L (CG13DE) DOHC 16-valve engines, with and respectively (higher outputs were claimed in Japan, according to the JIS rather than DIN/ECE rating), both with ECCS (Electronic Concentrated Control System) fuel injection. It was the second Nissan model line to be produced in the UK at the Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK (NMUK) plant, Washington Tyne and Wear.Autocar Jan 1993 A diesel version was offered with the 1.5 L PSA TUD market in Europe as Micra 1.5 D. Continuously variable transmission and power steering was an option on some models The equipment list also included safety features not usually available in this market segment: a toughened safety-cage and side-impact door beams were standard and pre-tensioning seat-belts and a driver's air-bag were optional. However, the Mk2 Micra scored only a modest two stars in Euro NCAP testing in 1997. CVT was the only automatic option available in Europe; in Japan, the 1.0-litre models were also available with a traditional, four-speed automatic transmission.
Airbags, antilock brakes, electric windows, central locking and air conditioning were as either standard equipment or options on some models in the Micra range.Nissan Micra brochure, Nissan Motor GB 1993 The European model range consisted of 1.0L and LX, 1.3LX, SLX and Super S. The car soon won the European Car of the Year award for 1993, becoming the first Japanese car to do so. It also won the Good Design Award (a Trade and Industry Design award in Japan) along with the Car of the Year Japan award in 1992. At its introduction in 1993, it won the Automotive Researchers' and Journalists' Conference Car of the Year award in Japan. To celebrate these three major awards, Nissan manufactured 2,000 examples of the limited V3 Award edition.
After receiving minor changes in December 1995 (a revised grille foreshadowing the later facelift design), the Micra received a facelift in 1998, six years after its launch.
There was a Cabriolet (FHK11) unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1995, but it was not sold until August 1997, with an electric top. These were produced in limited numbers for the Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) only. However, much like the Nissan Figaro, some have been imported into the UK unofficially. There was also an estate version called the March Box (WK11), which was unveiled in November 1999, with a split folding rear seat and either the 1.0- or 1.3-litre engines. Both engine options could be ordered either with a traditional, four-speed automatic transmission or with the revised Hyper-CVT transmission.
K11C (facelift; 1997) In May 1997, a facelift version was introduced in Japan. The UK-built Micra, meanwhile, was only updated in March 1998 and was built until early 2003. The cumulative visual changes from the first models included redesigned headlights and front grille – the grille was now incorporated into the bonnet and featured Nissan's then-corporate "face". Both front and rear bumpers were also redesigned, oval instead of round side repeater indicators, major changes to the interior and dashboard, redesigned rear light lenses, and the radio aerial was repositioned from the top of the right-hand A-pillar to the middle of the roof, towards the rear. In Japan, the four-speed automatic became an option on the 1.3 as well, meaning that both engines could be ordered with three different types of transmission (5-speed manual, 4-speed automatic, or the CVT).