This is our first glimpse of the new Nissan Micra, revealed today in two design sketches released by the Japanese car company. Designed to be sold around the world, the new Micra will retain the current car’s front-engined, front-wheel drive layout, while three- and five-door bodystyles are expected to be offered.
Will the new Nissan Micra still be built at the UK’s Sunderland plant?
No. Production of the new Micra will move abroad, as the Sunderland factory prepares to build a production version of the compact Qazana SUV from 2010. The Note, Qashqai and Qashqai+2 will still be built in Sunderland.
Nissan says the new vehicle is a ‘global compact car’ and will go on sale in more than 150 countries. To meet demand it will be built in India (which will provide the UK with its cars), China, Thailand, and two other undisclosed locations.
The car will be launched first in Thailand in March 2010 – where it will qualify as an ‘Eco-car’ under the country’s new legislation designed to promote energy efficient cars – before it arrives in the UK next autumn.
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