Jeremy Clarkson
Get Closer
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From
February 3, 2008
Nissan Micra C+C Essenza
Rating 
Verdict Most embarrassing car on the road
Meetings are where good ideas get watered down and bad ideas are forced along because no one ever has the courage to stand up and say: “What the bloody hell are we doing here?”
I suspect this is what happened with the Micra C+C. At some point there must have been a meeting where someone explained that the cost of the motors needed to power a folding metal roof had fallen in recent years. And that as a result it would make economic sense to fit such a thing to, yes, even the Micra.
Brilliant! However, I refuse to believe it took very long for the big flaw in the plan to rear its head: specifically, the roof wasn’t actually going to fit in the boot.
Instead of canning the project, though, they made the separation point between roof and windscreen much further back than is either ideal or aesthetically satisfying. Obviously, this still wasn’t enough, so they had to enlarge the boot by fitting what can only be described as an aircraft hangar on the back.
It grows worse. Because of the motors needed to make the roof work, and because of the strengthening beams fitted to compensate for the loss in structural rigidity, the C+C is about two million tons heavier than the standard car, which has an effect on both performance and fuel economy. Oh, and it’s a price not worth paying either because despite the beams it still has the worst scuttle shake since the old Ford Escort XR3i soft top.
Someone, at some point in this car’s development, should have had the courage to pull the plug. Unless of course I’m wrong and the plan wasn’t to build a convertible hatchback at all. Maybe they sat down in Japan and said: “Hey, guys. I hear Porsche are doing a yerrow Coxster. It’s supposed to be the most embarrassing car in the world. Do you think we could beat it?” They have.
Current price (Model now called Tekna) £15,400
Price when tested (Aug 2006) £15,250
Engine 1598cc, four cylinders
Power 108bhp @ 6000rpm
Torque 113 lb ft @ 4400pm
Transmission Five-speed manual
Fuel/CO2 42.2mpg (combined) / 160g/km
Top speed 119mph
0-60mph: 10sec
There is not a single thing to like about this car; the worst car I have ever driven was this car, but thankfully without the fold down roof. The only reason I had to drive it was it was a courtesy car. The build quality on the new Micra is rubbish; I had three courtesy cars, 1 after the other as they all had problems whilst my own car was in the garage.
How it can even be classed as nippy I don't know - I think a novel could be read (if it was legal whilst driving) before this thing can get to 70. Then Nissan must have given the tasks of creating the paint list to a blind person, I mean PINK! Most people would want to die rather than be seen driving down the high street in one of these, let alone shout out to the world that they are even more so by ordering in pink - why!
I see these cars and I think of new and novel ways to destroy them… this is how bad they are. Come on Nissan, you give the world the Skyline; the Z cars; and then the Micra and then the C+C!
Gareth, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire
I think its a brilliant little car!
It is practical and quite nippy! It looks alright and it ha many amusing features.
Nissan Micra CC. 4 Stars!
George Matthews, Oxford, Eynsham
My mother wants one. In pink. *sigh*...
Thom Hutchins, University of Warwick, UK
Normally i would write a huge essay but i am not going to waste my time on this monstrosity. It is essentially too puffy for puffs.
Joel, Newcastle-upon-Tyne,