In addition to the five-door version of the Micra subcompact, Nissan will look to expand the reach of its new global small car with both a sedan and MPV model. Launched at the Geneva Auto Show earlier this year, the Micra was designed to be a global platform ad with a versatile architecture the two new versions of the car will help Nissan reach a wider audience.

In Europe, the Micra will have two engine options: a 1.2-liter three-cylinder gasoline engine rated at 79-hp, and a supercharged 1.2-liter direct injection engine with a start-stop system. Both engines come with the option of a five-speed manual transmission or Nissan’s CVT system.

The small four-door is believed to be created mostly for the Asian market, while the MPV is more likely for Europe.

The addition of these two new model layouts continues to raise speculation as to whether Nissan will in fact make the Micra a true global vehicle, offering it for sale in North America. While initial speculation seemed to indicate Nissan would not, with the Versa already quite large for its class there might be room below it in Nissan’s North American lineup. Adding to the rumors are recent photos of a Micra spotted testing in Canada.

[Source: AutoCar]

Nissan introduced the fourth generation of its Micra small car at the Geneva Auto Show, with hopes the compact car will help the company branch out into emerging markets.

The compact car is built on Nissan’s new V-Platform (V as in “versatile”), which provides Nissan with a base to adapt the Micra to the 160 different countries where it will be sold. The Micra will be manufactured in four locations: Thailand, India, Mexico and China.

Nissan will offer different engines for the Micra, depending on the market.  In Europe, the Micra will have two options, a 1.2L three-cylinder gasoline engine rated at 79 hp, and a supercharged 1.2L direct injection engine with a start-stop system. Both engines come with the option of a five-speed manual transmission or Nissan’s continuously variable transmission system.

Gallery: Nissan Micra

GALLERY: Nissan Micra Official Photos

Official release after the jump:

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With several teaser images already released of Nissan’s upcoming global small car, the Japanese automaker has now released a video highlighting some of the vehicle’s attributes. According to the video, Nissan has developed a new 3-cylinder engine that displaces just 1.2-liters, which Nissan claims has noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels equivalent to modern 4-cylinder engines.to help out in both areas. There’s no word on power output or expected fuel economy, but the car will use a CVT transmission

The yet unnamed global small car will replace the Micra in other markets, and will come to North America in the near future, slotting in beneath the Versa. It sits on Nissan’s all-new V-platform which was designed to be flexible for different versions of the car in different markets.

We’re likely to see the “new Micra” at the Geneva Auto Show next month.

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View Nissan’s video to learn more about this new global small car after the jump:

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Nissan, which currently sells a stripped-down version of its sub-compact Versa for less than $10,000, is set to offer two more models in the four digit price range. According to a report by Automotive News, Nissan chairman for the America, Carlos Tavares, has said that two new sub-$10,000 vehicles will join Nissan’s lineup in the U.S. and Canada, based of of the company’s new V platform, which will underpin a replacement for the Micra/March overseas.

As evidenced by this weeks Detroit Auto Show, many automakers are moving towards small cars and Nissan’s new Micra-replacement isn’t likely to be overly small as the sub-compact Versa is somewhat large for its class.

The two new vehicles will be built in Mexico alongside a third model, which will be distributed in South America.

This new small car will be one of the first of its segment in North American, joining cars like the upcoming Chevy Spark and the Fiat 500 (although the 500 is likely to be priced much higher).

[Source: Automotive News via Autoblog]