Yes, it really is. And yes, fully electric. Welcome to the brand-new Nissan Micra, a car described as “audacious” by its makers, and one that brings a little character back into the small-car game.
This one is spun off the same platform as the Renault 5 pictured below—Nissan and Renault being ‘Alliance’ partners, you remember—and designed by the Japanese carmaker’s London office. It’s ready for deployment later this year.
And just like the Renault 5, it’ll be available with either a 40kWh or a 52kWh battery, with Nissan targeting a range just shy of 400km for the latter.
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Yes, it shares the R5’s boxy silhouette, but Nissan has poured its own heritage into the face of the ‘daring’ new Micra. It’ll also “remain true to the DNA of its predecessors” via ‘simplicity,’ but at this early stage, we’re yet to find out what that entails. We’ve literally only got this image.
This and the new third-gen Leaf shown above form part of a new global model offensive by Nissan in a bid to kickstart its turnaround. A turnaround that includes a next-gen hybrid powertrain—under the guise of ‘e-Power’—refreshed combustion-engined cars, a truck that could be the all-new Navara, a new minivan and kei car for Japan, revitalizing Infiniti in the US, and even a striking new Juke for Europe.
“We are committed to investing in products that embody the very best of Nissan,” said incoming new Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa. The new Micra will be on sale before the end of the year, so not long to find out.
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.
