Nissan et al: Bring Us Fuel Economy as Well as HP
By John O'Dell April 29, 2008
Nissan Micra convertible is example of fuel-efficient cars we can't get in the U.S.
By John O'Dell, Senior Editor
I'm in an airplane winging its way to Los Angeles from Amsterdam (by way of Lisbon, Portugal) as this is being posted – returning from a two-day event called Nissan 360.
It was designed to give journalists the opportunity to drive all of the company's motor vehicles (a 360-degree view, get it?), from the same Altimas and Maximas and Titans and Zs sold in the U.S. to passenger vehicles and even light commercial vehicles that we never see here -- the Micra and Cube small cars and Elgrande maxi-van, for instance, and the Atleon 15-ton delivery van.
Nissan's GT-R on track at Estoril, Portugal, delivers world-class power.
We also got to drive the rather fantastic GT-R on the track at the Estoril Autodrome outside of Lisbon – two laps as a passenger and three behind the wheel. But my colleagues at Inside Line have far better credentials than I do to tell you about that insanely powerful but incredibly well-mannered speed machine, and I'll leave that task to them. Suffice it to say that no one who enjoys automobiles should ever say no to the opportunity to drive a GT-R at speed.
The gist of what I am carrying away from the event is that Nissan's motors, gas and diesel remain some of the best in the business. Its interiors are improving tremendously and in some cases are world class, and its designs are – well, very Japanese and subject to a lot of interpretation. I loved a few, hated others and was ambivalent about many.
I didn't drive all 61 vehicles available to us – regardless of the hype from Nissan in the invitation, two days is not sufficient time to do that.
I tried instead to experience cars (and trucks -- that big Atleon is a gas to maneuver – and it has a better interior than many passenger cars) that we don't get a chance to drive in the U.S.
My favorite? The Micra, gas and diesel. The four-seat subcompact, also known as the Nissan March in some markets, comes in hatchback and hardtop convertible models (think Mercedes SLK on a budget) and whether sporting the 1.5-liter turbo diesel of the 1.6-liter "petrol" engine, it is simply a kick to drive.
No GT-R, certainly, but well-balanced, sure-footed on coastal Portugal's twisting mountain roads and powerful enough to climb steep grades with dispatch, the Micra would make a great commuter car, second – or third – family car or first-time driver's first new car.
The gas model brings 110 horsepower and 113 pound-feet of torque to the table, along with fuel economy of 35.6 mpg (that's 6.6 liters per kilometer in Euro-terms, where gas is sold by the liter – about a quarter of a gallon – and can cost up to $10 per gallon -- and we think $3.90 is horrid.
The 86-horsepower, 148 pound-feet diesel version, while not quite as peppy at top end -- it drives best between 2,000 and 4,000 rpm, where all the torque is – still delivers more than adequate acceleration and a wallet-fattening 50 miles per gallon.
Fita 500 is European Car of Year, delivers 36 mpg -- 64 mpg for diesel model.
Thanks to the foresight of Auto Observer Senior Editor Bill Visnic, who asked Fiat to provide one of its hot-selling 500s while we were in Portugal, we were able to compare the Japanese-built Micra to Europe's 2008 Car of the Year.
(Bill brings you much more about the 500 over at AO and we'll be back to post a link here as soon as his piece appears.)
If you are wondering what all this has to do with "green," consider that in normal daily driving conditions in North America, you can't push the $70,000, 480-horsepower GT-R much faster than you can a $15,000 Micra (were it available here) without wreaking freeway havoc.
And the Micra gas model will get you there delivering at least 60 percent better fuel economy (and resulting carbon-dioxide reduction) while the diesel will more than double the hot, hot GT-R's mileage.
It's getting to be time, as gas prices soar and concerns about global warming and future petroleum availability increase, to start making choices – and lobbying automakers to bring us the cars that are taking Europe by storm but that we can't get in the country that needs them most.
LEAVE A COMMENT
I tire of hearing how other countries pay so much more for their fuel than we do. Their fuel is taxed more, to support many of their needs. Our taxes for similar things are elsewhere, or are directly out of pocket (non-socialized medical care, for example). Someone elsewhere actually examined costs a bit more closely, and realistically, at around $3.50 / US gallon, we're pretty much even with the rest of the world. We just take the extra $6.50 and pay it elsewhere for what they have taken out of fuel costs.
Back to the small car under discussion- were those mpg figures based on US EPA standards and non-imperial gallons? Their numbers tend to be inflated far above ours, and that same car might likely have a more realistically small number when driven here.
I think 6.6 L/km should be 6.6 L/100km.
The European fuel economy cycles are different from their American counterparts, which results in higher fuel economy numbers in Europe. For example, Europe's "combined" mileage figure approximates the US's "highway" mileage figure fairly well.
It's be nice to have the option of buying Euro or Jap spec cars here, but I just don't think there's a demand for it. Is there really a market for a sub-$10k car when you could go out and find a decent 1 or 2 year old car for that price? Will people really buy a minicompact commuter car to save a couple mpg?
ADD A COMMENT