1:32 pm, February 10, 2012
Nissan says its new supercharged petrol engine is ultra-clean, but what’s it like to drive? James Baggott finds out
WHAT IS IT?
Nissan’s answer to the diesel engine. The maker has bolted on a supercharger to its 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol unit to offer the economy of a diesel, but with no compromises on performance. Crucially it produces 95g/km so qualifies for free road tax.
WHAT’S UNDER THE BONNET?
A Direct Injection Gasoline Supercharged unit (DIG-S). Direct injection ensures no fuel is wasted, the supercharger boosts performance and by retaining three cylinders it has fewer moving parts than a conventional engine so is more efficient. It offers the performance of a 1.5-litre with economy of a 1.0-litre.
WHAT’S THE SPEC LIKE?
It comes in Visia, Acenta and Tekna with the bottom of the range getting ESP, remote central locking, steel wheels and electric front windows.
WHAT’S IT LIKE TO DRIVE?
Good fun and a big improvement on the standard 1.2-litre. The three-cylinder unit sounds good and it feels nippy. It will hit 60mph in 11.3s, but in gear feels quicker than the figures suggest.
WHAT DO THE PRESS THINK OF IT?
Autoblog UK said the ‘performance could hardly be called sporty’, but added the addition of the blower gave it a more ‘grown-up larger feel’. Auto Express said ‘for the money, you’ll struggle to find anything that’s as cheap to run’.
WHAT DO WE THINK OF IT?
Micra owners looking to upgrade to the new model now have even more reason to do so with the addition of this clever new engine.
