The Pint-Sized Retractable Hardtop
Remember the Nissan Micra? The K10 was a tiny little subcompact sold from 1982 to 1991 (1989 in the U.S.), with a faithful following due to its fun road-manners and stalwart reliability. In case you didn't know, after the model left North American shores it continued elsewhere as the K11 and most recently European award-winning K12. So why isn't it available here in Canada?
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| Due to its fun road-manners and stalwart reliability, the original 1982 to 1991 Micra was a hit. (Photo: Nissan) |
That's a very good question considering the Japanese brand's number one rival imports its European market Yaris as the Toyota Echo Hatchback. Korean competitors offer subcompact models too, such as the Hyundai Accent and Kia Rio, and Chevy Aveo/Suzuki Swift duo if we're talking about where the cars are made and not where the automaker keeps its head office.
In European markets Nissan offers a cute little 3-door Micra hatchback as well as a 5-door variant, both of which would fit the Canadian market perfectly. The model is arguably better looking than the majority of its competition, which would also be the case here.
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| The Micra C+C sports a retractable hardtop, similar in context to the folding roof on the Mercedes-Benz SLK and SL models, as well as Cadillac's XLR and the Lexus SC 430. (Photo: Nissan) |
But how would a subcompact convertible fit into the scheme of things? Suzuki tried it a few years back with its drop-top Swift, but it went over about as well as the brand's Vitara coupe - i.e. not well at all. But Nissan's Micra C+C hardtop convertible is much more upscale than the Suzuki offering, despite its similar overall dimensions.
Expected to become available in Europe by 2005, the little Micra sports a retractable hardtop, similar in context to the folding roof on the Mercedes-Benz SLK and SL models, as well as Cadillac's XLR and the Lexus SC 430. While Hyundai shocked Geneva auto show goers with its retractable-hardtop Tiburon earlier this year, and French carmaker Peugeot is already producing its compact convertible hardtop 206 CC, no automaker has ever attempted to apply the technology to a vehicle as small as the Micra.