Nissan’s stylised design sketch of its next-generation 2010 Micra – due to appear in showrooms next summer – might have sparked some speculation that the perennial grandmothers’ favourite will be transformed into a funky, sporty hatch in its next life.
But these leaked official drawings, which reveal the true proportions of the production version, show that once the oversized wheels are removed, the new Nissan Micra will be a much less adventurous proposition.
The new 2010 Nissan Micra laid bare
The profile images show how Nissan’s new ‘world car’ Micra will keep cues like the curving window shape from the current generation, but also reveal a machine that’s grown significantly in all directions.
The ‘wheel-at-each-corner’ shape of today’s Micra is gone, with the new model growing noticeable front and rear overhangs, and the distinct beltline that bisects the current model is also lost in favour of a more organic overall appearance.
At the front, the side-by-side air intakes and goggle-eyed headlights are replaced by a more grown-up, and derivative, shape, like the offspring of a Fiat Punto and BMW Mini, although a pronounced bonnet bulge adds a touch of individuality.
What’s under the bonnet of the new 2010 Nissan Micra?
Some Japanese sources are suggesting that the new Micra – which will be called the Nissan March in Japan – will see the reintroduction of a high-performance version, the March Turbo, powered by a 200bhp 1.6-litre turbo four-cylinder and reviving a name last seen in the late 1980s. Other rumoured powerplants include 1.0- and 1.2-litre direct-injection petrols.
Nissan plans to build the next-generation machine in five factories worldwide, concentrating on its plants in India and Thailand to help keep costs down. The firm’s Sunderland UK factory, which makes the current-generation Micra, won’t be building its successor, instead switching to the full production version of the firm’s Qazana crossover concept.