Nissan launches new Micra Active

Nissan launched a new version of its premium hatchback Micra at a significantly low starting price of ₹ 3.5 lakh in Mumbai on Wednesday.

The new version called Micra Active, powered by a 1.2-litre petrol engine, comes without the push start button feature that is available in its higher end variants. The company said the new car is 30 kilograms lighter and clocks a mileage of 19.3 kilometres per litre.

Besides Micra Active, the company launched facelifts of Micra's existing petrol range priced between ₹ 4.8 lakh and ₹ 6.4 lakh and the diesel variant in price range of ₹ 5.9 lakh - ₹ 7.1 lakh.

Nissan, working towards tripling its domestic sales to 100,000 units this financial year and increasing its market share from 1.5% to 10% by 2016, will later launch its low-cost Datsun brand under which it would sell casr priced below ₹ 4 lakh.

However Kenichiro Yomura, Nissan India's president was non-committal when asked if the upcoming Datsun car would be significantly cheaper than the Micra Active.

Yomura added that Nissan does not plan to increase prices as 88-90% localisation in its cars helps shield the company from the rupee's depreciation.