2010 Geneva Auto Show: Nissan Micra

Following almost half of year of teasing and taunting what Nissan called until now "global compact car," the fourth generation Micra broke cover today in Geneva, with the promise of "setting new industry standards".

The new Micra which, according to Nissan, will be marketed in 160 countries, retains its compact dimensions, but is a bit longer and lower than the previous generation. The longer wheelbase allowed Nissan to gain interior space, by placing the wheels at each corner of the vehicle.

Under the hood, the Micra will hide two engines options (for Europe): a new naturally aspirated HR12 1.2l 3-cylinder petrol engine (80 ps/108Nm of torque) and a supercharged 1.2l direct injection iteration with a start-stop system (98 ps/142Nm of torque). Both units will be made available with a 5-speed manual gearbox or Nissan's all-new Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).

Safety wise, the new Micra uses crumple zones, ABS, dual front airbags, curtain and side airbags, Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) and pretensioner seat belts as standard.

There are also a few hi-tech gadgets on the Micra as well, including touch-screen combined audio and satellite navigation system, parking space measurement with three skill levels (amateur, normal and expert) – that's in case you need additional help to park a tiny car...

"The new Micra will continue to be the benchmark city car in Europe. Its appeal will be enhanced by its unique combination of compact exterior dimensions, with roomy interior, small and efficient engines, and user-friendly technology. Its continued icon status is destined to be be reinforced in its fourth generation," Simon Thomas, Nissan's European Senior Vice President for Sales and Marketing, said in a statement.