Monday 11th July 2005

Nissan builds bonkers 315bhp Micra

350Z donates tweaked 3.5-litre V6

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The engine came from one of these...

Auto Express reports this week that Nissan has shoehorned a tweaked version of the 3.5-litre V6 from the 350Z coupé -- into a Micra. The car's to be called the Micra 350SR, and also features a special body kit.

In a move reminiscent of Renault's Clio V6, Nissan has thrown away the rear seats to make way for a mid-mounted version of the 310bhp engine, which has been mated to a close-ratio, six-speed manual gearbox driving the rear wheels. Nissan reckoned the car will make 60mph in under five seconds, with a 150mph top speed.

The heart transplant was conducted by race and tuning company Ray Mallock Limited using parts made by Nissan's motorsport division, Nismo. 350Z wheels and hubs are used along with specially machined drive shafts. Painted in the 2005 350Z Japanese GT touring car colours, the muscular Micra 350SR was first shown at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Question is, would you want to do 150mph in a Micra?

• Auto Express

[r988]

A completely stupid and pointless idea...

I love it!

[Plotloss]

There have been a few Ice Racing Micras built in the Benelux countries with 300ZX engines mounted a midships.

[gofasterrosssco]

As long as it doesn't go all porky like the Clio V6 did...... around 1000Kg and 310Bhp would be much nicer Im sure

[cdp]

Soon to be found at the front of a queue of traffic near you....

[jeremyc]

Its not the first time Nissan and Ray Mallock have done this - as reported right here on PH.

[wedgie]

There is only one thing to be said in this situation:


WHY, FFS?

[PaZ]

Because the Micra is such a beautiful, good handling, well liked car

[T5-R]

wedgie said:

There is only one thing to be said in this situation: WHY, FFS?

Why not?

[gizmo71]

The real question is not "why", it's "how much"?

I did ask on the stand at Goodwood whilst I was chatting to the young lady who was trying to persuade me to "upgrade" my 350Z coupe to a convertible, but no answer was forthcoming...

[klassiekerrally]

I say: hand it over to the Stig

[mutt]

Truely bonkers, love it!!!

[AndyWoodall]

I love all these, "er, why" comments. Erm, you do realise this is a car forum, you know, for car enthusiasts, I was under the impression that we were all here because we liked things that were just a little bit different. While

I can't say that a Micra with a V6 gets me THAT excited, however as a petrolhead it makes perfect sense to me!

[rsvmilly]

wedgie said:

There is only one thing to be said in this situation: WHY, FFS?

Surely you appreciate the irony of taking a much derided shopping car and turning it into a snarling beast? It's a case of 'look what we can do'.

Remember this

www.bbc.co.uk/topgear/prog8/lotuslada.shtml

[Dan]

klassiekerrally said:

I say: hand it over to the Stig

speaking of which.... Didn't Stig Blomqist(sp) rally a turbo micra in the early ninties?

I'll get me coat....

[oppressed mass]

Article said:

Question is, would you want to do 150mph in a Micra?

Oh yes......

[r988]

Dan said:

klassiekerrally said: I say: hand it over to the Stig speaking of which.... Didn't Stig Blomqist(sp) rally a turbo micra in the early ninties? I'll get me coat....

there was a Micra (aka March) super turbo with a turbocharged AND supercharged sub 1.0L engine built as a homologation for a rally car. Quite a fun little ride as well, suprisingly relaxed torquey feel compared to the revvy nature of most tiny engines, pity the chassis was not really up to the job of handling all that power, still I quite like them, something a little different.

>> Edited by r988 on Monday 11th July 15:35

[silversix]

I'd buy one......

[Podie]

you can't polish a turd...

[r988]

Podie said:

you can't polish a turd...

yes you can, doesn't actually improve anything much but you can do it :P

[zebedee]

It is still a Micra. I'll still hate it, no matter what its performance figures are.