mikeyb
10-08-2005, 11:30 AM
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/micra/03-large/05-cc-people-f-st.jpg
C+C stands for coupe plus cabriolet. So that's a folding hard-top roof for this Micra, then, with retractable panels that stow away into the boot at the touch of a button, taking 22 seconds.
The roof features a glass section, too, for extra light and an impression of the open sky, even when the roof is in place. It's a neat device, which gives the C+C most of the driving and characteristics, refinement and comfort of a conventional hatchback, roof up, yet the feeling of a full-on roadster with it down. With frameless windows, there are no pillars or roof bars, there are no fiddly hoods or catches to release and it all fits together very snugly.
The C+C is, nominally, a four-seater, though the two rear seats really are tiny - it's best to treat it as transport for two that could fit someone else in an emergency.
It will be offered with 1.4-litre (88bhp) and 1.6-litre (110bhp) petrol engines; a diesel model is likely to follow next year, along with the option of an automatic gearbox. It goes on sale mid-November 2005; prices start from £13,150 (1.4 Urbis).
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/micra/03-large/05-nissan-micra-cc.jpg
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/micra/03-large/05-cc-roof-open-2.jpg
The C+C is made alongside the conventional Micra hatchback in Nissan's factory in Sunderland, which has a very good reputation for turning out well-built, reliable vehicles.
Unlike its similarly topped rivals, which have their roofs brought in from external suppliers and added later, the whole thing is made in the same place, in a dedicated unit set up by roof specialists Karmann. The basic car and roof are even painted together, ensuring a perfect colour match.
The cars seen so far seem very well constructed, with good-quality materials and a high level of craftsmanship. Nissan says that its UK engineering centre at Cranfield, which developed the car, paid particular attention to water-tightness, so there's no nasty leaks.
The only doubts are over the reliability of the keyless entry/ignition system; this has been prone to problems in the Micra hatchback, though should be debugged by now.
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/micra/03-large/05-cc-roofdown-topview.jpg
Cute cabriolets are very fashionable these days - just think of the number of Mini soft-tops and 206 CCs around - and the C+C looks the part.
It's not an aggressive, macho car in any way whatsoever, yet neither is it too twee and girlie. Shame, though, that it doesn't look more like the Figaro (Nissan's Micra-based soft-top offered in Japan in the early 1990s); the Figaro is now a real cult car, complete with celebrity fans and a dedicated owners' club, and is much-loved for its retro curves, candy-coloured paint and its uniqueness.
The C+C is just a bit too similar to the Micra hatchback, a pretty little car these days but still not the trendiest of supermini choices.
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/micra/03-large/05-cc-s-a.jpg
The Micra C+C is impressively low on scuttle shake, even when driven hard over rough surfaces with the roof down (thanks to a "dynamic damper", apparently, as well as stronger side sills, added cross-bracing and other structural reinforcements).
As with the hatch, handling is predictable and safe, without feeling too numb or stodgy; Nissan has refined its electrically assisted power steering, so it feels less floaty and vague than earlier Micra hatchbacks.
All the controls are well laid-out, with instruments clear and easy to use, and all-round visibility is good. Parking should be a breeze, and the turning circle is tight for cheeky city manoeuvres.
Taller drivers, however, may not lose the sensation of having a roof bar in front of their foreheads: the roof and top of the windscreen is quite low-set, and the front seats positioned relatively high. The seats are a tiny bit lower than those of the hatchback, but not low enough for a sporty feel, either; their range of adjustment is limited, and they won't go far back enough for the really long-legged to get comfortable.
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/micra/03-large/05-cc-coast-r-a.jpg
No news yet on a Euro NCAP crash test score, but Nissan predicts that the C+C will perform at least as well as its rivals. With the roof up, the hard top will offer a lot more protection in the event of an accident than a traditional canvas hood. Roof down, it doesn't have spring-up rollover hoops like some rivals, but you wouldn't really want to turn turtle in any open-top anyway…
ABS anti-lock brakes with EBD (electronic brakeforce distribution) are standard, along with four airbags, active whiplash-reducing headrests and Isofix child seat mounting points. ESP (electronic stability programme) is fitted to the range-topping 1.6 Essenza version.
Security-wise, a hard roof has to give better thief-proofing than a fabric hood and there's the usual remote control central locking and immobiliser. Under the passenger seat is a "hidden" lockable compartment large enough for items such as cameras.
We've only tested the 110bhp 1.6-litre engine so far, but, as in the Micra SR, it's lively, free-revving and willing. Nippy for urban errands and happy at motorway speeds, it's capable of 0-60mph acceleration in 10.6 seconds and a top speed of 119mph.
The 1.4 will be a little slower, giving 109mph and 0-60 in 12.1 seconds, but that's going to be more than adequate for most prospective buyers. An out-and-out sports car this is not: it's for running round town, cruising and posing, all of which it can do more than competently.
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/micra/03-large/05-cc-roofdown-fside-s.jpg
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/micra/03-large/05-cc-int.jpg
The glass roof panel (with retractable mesh blind) is a nice touch: the cabin could feel cramped and claustrophobic otherwise. That roof really is rather low and the seats rather high-set, for those over average height.
The front seats are sportier than those of the Micra hatchback, though not that well-bolstered; the base is flat and quite short, giving little under-thigh support. There's not an awful lot of elbow room, either. As for the back seats...
Where the C+C really scores, though, is its boot: 457 litres with the roof up, and 255 litres even with it folded away. Nissan helpfully points out that this is more space than in one of its huge Murano 4x4s, with the luggage cover in place - though this says more about the shortcomings of the style-over-substance Murano than the C+C.
More usefully, Nissan also claims that an engineer managed to fit a full drum kit in a prototype he was testing: it's believable, as the boot will carry a couple of good-sized bags with room to spare.
Ride comfort is good, too, with the C+C coping well with poor road surfaces. Noise levels are low, even at speed with the roof down, and it is just about possible to hold a conversation at 70mph with the radio on.
The radio adjusts volume automatically according to the position of the roof, too - a nice touch, though you do have to turn it right up anyway when the wind starts rushing.
Standard equipment for the UK includes electric windows, electric/heated door mirrors, a six-speaker radio/CD with steering wheel-mounted controls, front fog lights and 15-inch alloy wheels.
Entry-level models, with the 1.4-litre engine, are badged Urbis; options include air conditioning (£500). Sport versions (an £845 upgrade) add the 1.6-litre engine, 16-inch alloys, air conditioning and alloy-effect interior trim; climate control is a £250 option.
Top of the range is the £14,995 1.6 Essenza, which has climate control, heated leather seats, Alcantara door trim, an in-dash six-CD autochanger, ESP and the keyless entry/ignition system.
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/micra/03-large/05-cc-int-wheel.jpg
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/micra/03-large/05-cc-roofdown-r3q-s.jpg
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/micra/03-large/05-cc-manycars.jpg
by: Farah AlKhalisi
source:http://www.channel4.com/4car/road-tests/N/nissan/micra-cc-05-/index.html
C+C stands for coupe plus cabriolet. So that's a folding hard-top roof for this Micra, then, with retractable panels that stow away into the boot at the touch of a button, taking 22 seconds.
The roof features a glass section, too, for extra light and an impression of the open sky, even when the roof is in place. It's a neat device, which gives the C+C most of the driving and characteristics, refinement and comfort of a conventional hatchback, roof up, yet the feeling of a full-on roadster with it down. With frameless windows, there are no pillars or roof bars, there are no fiddly hoods or catches to release and it all fits together very snugly.
The C+C is, nominally, a four-seater, though the two rear seats really are tiny - it's best to treat it as transport for two that could fit someone else in an emergency.
It will be offered with 1.4-litre (88bhp) and 1.6-litre (110bhp) petrol engines; a diesel model is likely to follow next year, along with the option of an automatic gearbox. It goes on sale mid-November 2005; prices start from £13,150 (1.4 Urbis).
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/micra/03-large/05-nissan-micra-cc.jpg
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/micra/03-large/05-cc-roof-open-2.jpg
The C+C is made alongside the conventional Micra hatchback in Nissan's factory in Sunderland, which has a very good reputation for turning out well-built, reliable vehicles.
Unlike its similarly topped rivals, which have their roofs brought in from external suppliers and added later, the whole thing is made in the same place, in a dedicated unit set up by roof specialists Karmann. The basic car and roof are even painted together, ensuring a perfect colour match.
The cars seen so far seem very well constructed, with good-quality materials and a high level of craftsmanship. Nissan says that its UK engineering centre at Cranfield, which developed the car, paid particular attention to water-tightness, so there's no nasty leaks.
The only doubts are over the reliability of the keyless entry/ignition system; this has been prone to problems in the Micra hatchback, though should be debugged by now.
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/micra/03-large/05-cc-roofdown-topview.jpg
Cute cabriolets are very fashionable these days - just think of the number of Mini soft-tops and 206 CCs around - and the C+C looks the part.
It's not an aggressive, macho car in any way whatsoever, yet neither is it too twee and girlie. Shame, though, that it doesn't look more like the Figaro (Nissan's Micra-based soft-top offered in Japan in the early 1990s); the Figaro is now a real cult car, complete with celebrity fans and a dedicated owners' club, and is much-loved for its retro curves, candy-coloured paint and its uniqueness.
The C+C is just a bit too similar to the Micra hatchback, a pretty little car these days but still not the trendiest of supermini choices.
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/micra/03-large/05-cc-s-a.jpg
The Micra C+C is impressively low on scuttle shake, even when driven hard over rough surfaces with the roof down (thanks to a "dynamic damper", apparently, as well as stronger side sills, added cross-bracing and other structural reinforcements).
As with the hatch, handling is predictable and safe, without feeling too numb or stodgy; Nissan has refined its electrically assisted power steering, so it feels less floaty and vague than earlier Micra hatchbacks.
All the controls are well laid-out, with instruments clear and easy to use, and all-round visibility is good. Parking should be a breeze, and the turning circle is tight for cheeky city manoeuvres.
Taller drivers, however, may not lose the sensation of having a roof bar in front of their foreheads: the roof and top of the windscreen is quite low-set, and the front seats positioned relatively high. The seats are a tiny bit lower than those of the hatchback, but not low enough for a sporty feel, either; their range of adjustment is limited, and they won't go far back enough for the really long-legged to get comfortable.
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/micra/03-large/05-cc-coast-r-a.jpg
No news yet on a Euro NCAP crash test score, but Nissan predicts that the C+C will perform at least as well as its rivals. With the roof up, the hard top will offer a lot more protection in the event of an accident than a traditional canvas hood. Roof down, it doesn't have spring-up rollover hoops like some rivals, but you wouldn't really want to turn turtle in any open-top anyway…
ABS anti-lock brakes with EBD (electronic brakeforce distribution) are standard, along with four airbags, active whiplash-reducing headrests and Isofix child seat mounting points. ESP (electronic stability programme) is fitted to the range-topping 1.6 Essenza version.
Security-wise, a hard roof has to give better thief-proofing than a fabric hood and there's the usual remote control central locking and immobiliser. Under the passenger seat is a "hidden" lockable compartment large enough for items such as cameras.
We've only tested the 110bhp 1.6-litre engine so far, but, as in the Micra SR, it's lively, free-revving and willing. Nippy for urban errands and happy at motorway speeds, it's capable of 0-60mph acceleration in 10.6 seconds and a top speed of 119mph.
The 1.4 will be a little slower, giving 109mph and 0-60 in 12.1 seconds, but that's going to be more than adequate for most prospective buyers. An out-and-out sports car this is not: it's for running round town, cruising and posing, all of which it can do more than competently.
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/micra/03-large/05-cc-roofdown-fside-s.jpg
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/micra/03-large/05-cc-int.jpg
The glass roof panel (with retractable mesh blind) is a nice touch: the cabin could feel cramped and claustrophobic otherwise. That roof really is rather low and the seats rather high-set, for those over average height.
The front seats are sportier than those of the Micra hatchback, though not that well-bolstered; the base is flat and quite short, giving little under-thigh support. There's not an awful lot of elbow room, either. As for the back seats...
Where the C+C really scores, though, is its boot: 457 litres with the roof up, and 255 litres even with it folded away. Nissan helpfully points out that this is more space than in one of its huge Murano 4x4s, with the luggage cover in place - though this says more about the shortcomings of the style-over-substance Murano than the C+C.
More usefully, Nissan also claims that an engineer managed to fit a full drum kit in a prototype he was testing: it's believable, as the boot will carry a couple of good-sized bags with room to spare.
Ride comfort is good, too, with the C+C coping well with poor road surfaces. Noise levels are low, even at speed with the roof down, and it is just about possible to hold a conversation at 70mph with the radio on.
The radio adjusts volume automatically according to the position of the roof, too - a nice touch, though you do have to turn it right up anyway when the wind starts rushing.
Standard equipment for the UK includes electric windows, electric/heated door mirrors, a six-speaker radio/CD with steering wheel-mounted controls, front fog lights and 15-inch alloy wheels.
Entry-level models, with the 1.4-litre engine, are badged Urbis; options include air conditioning (£500). Sport versions (an £845 upgrade) add the 1.6-litre engine, 16-inch alloys, air conditioning and alloy-effect interior trim; climate control is a £250 option.
Top of the range is the £14,995 1.6 Essenza, which has climate control, heated leather seats, Alcantara door trim, an in-dash six-CD autochanger, ESP and the keyless entry/ignition system.
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/micra/03-large/05-cc-int-wheel.jpg
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/micra/03-large/05-cc-roofdown-r3q-s.jpg
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/micra/03-large/05-cc-manycars.jpg
by: Farah AlKhalisi
source:http://www.channel4.com/4car/road-tests/N/nissan/micra-cc-05-/index.html