Drop-Top on Tap

Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.'s European operations have persuaded the home office to invest €146 million ($176 million) in a coupe-cabriolet version of the Micra that goes on sale in Europe this month.

Karmann GmbH supplies the folding hardtop from its area inside Nissan Motor Mfg. U.K.'s Sunderland plant, while on a separate assembly line, the basic Micra gets 190 lbs. (86 kg) of extra reinforcement, new doors and body panels and a top that retracts into the trunk in 22 seconds, to become the Micra C+C.

The C+C is lower and longer than the hatchback, and the A-pillars and everything behind them is new or reworked.

Nissan Europe's sales goal for the Micra C+C is 20,000 units annually and 75,000 units over the lifetime of the vehicle.

Available with a 1.4L 88-hp or 1.6L 110-hp gasoline engine, the Micra C+C will sell for about €2,500 ($3,000) more than the Micra hatchback.

Nissan showed a concept of the C+C at the Paris auto show in September 2002 and 13 months later signed the contracts with suppliers.

Nissan has no plans to bring the folding hardtop to Japan, where the Micra is sold as the March. Nor are there plans to build the car in North America, although the Renault (SA) Nissan Alliance Platform B will go into production in 2006 at Aguascalientes, Mexico.