Nissan Motor’s global sales of the Micra/March passed 6m units at the end of May 2011. Japanese production began in 1982 and the line was also built in the UK from 1993 to 2010. Latest model production began in Thailand in 2010 and has since spread to India, China and Mexico.
The first generation Micra/March soon became known for its drivability, affordability and high quality. The second generation, released in 1992, adopted the advanced technologies of the day, such as continuously variable transmissions (CVT). The third generation, launched in 2002, featured an intelligent key for the first time in Nissan models.
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In response to contemporary market demands, the fourth generation, released in 2010 and the first not to be built in Japan, is equipped with an idling stop system and the next-generation Xtronic CVT to help it achieve excellent fuel economy.
Yosuke Iwasa, Nissan’s global chief marketing manager for the Micra/March programme, said: “The drivability, fantastic reliability and superb handling have been well received, striking a chord with customers in over 70 countries around the world.”
Current Micra/March sales commenced in Thailand in March 2010 and expanded to countries where it had not been available before, such as India and China. Masaki Ishizuka, chief product specialist, said: “We listened to what potential customers across the globe wanted in a car and incorporated those ideas into the new generation model.”
At the end of May, over 170,000 units of the fourth generation car had been sold in 56 countries.
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By GlobalDataEurope has traditionally been the Micra’s largest market. In September 2011, an additional model will be launched: the new DIG-S version with supercharged HR12DDR engine, boasting fuel economy performance that is among the best in Europe.
In Thailand, the latest March became the first model offered for sale under the Thai government’s eco-car project on account of its excellent fuel efficiency.
In India, since its launch in July 2010, the Micra has been a key model in driving Nissan sales in that market, with over 15,000 units sold to date. Since the start of production a year ago, over 100,000 have been built, with nearly 70,000 exported. India will be the supply base for over 100 countries across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
China sales begain in August 2010 and the model was launched in Mexico last April.
In Brazil, Nissan will launch flexible-fuel vehicle (FFV) versions with one- and 1.6-litre engines next October.
