Nissan Micra R Project United Kingdom - Driving Impression

The Micra is normally a girl's car. Built for taking ladies shopping in Europe, it's full of cutesy details that evoke feelings of sentimentality, not sporting ambition. Needless to say, the tiny Nissan wouldn't normally be found in the pages of this magazine.

But the Micra R is different. To my relief my girlfriend hated it, a sure sign Nissan UK had done a good job of turning a chick's kart into a serious performance tool. Her complaints concentrated on three issues: the intricate roll cage, which made entry tricky; the four-point harness, which she thought was just an excuse for a quick grope; and the din from the 2.0-liter race engine mounted inches behind her bottom.

The origins of the Micra R project can be traced to a concept shown at the Geneva Motor Show in early 2003. Styled in Nissan's European design studio, it sought to reinterpret the Micra by injecting some sporting heritage and masculine aggression. The end product was still instantly recognizable, but the 18-inch wheels, wider arches, lowered suspension and war paint sent out a different message.

"It was like a bodybuilder," says the Euro design boss, Christopher Reitz. "It was still the same guy, but now he'd been down to the gym."

Reitz had no intention of actually building a working example, but Nissan UK's managing director, Brian Carolin, had other ideas. He commissioned Ray Mallock Limited (RML) to build a road-legal version of the concept. RML had run Nissan's ultra-successful British Touring Car campaign in the late '90s and is still responsible for developing the road and race versions of the Saleen S7 supercar. Clearly, RML had the experience, but what it needed was an engine and a platform.

According to RML's Micra R project manager, Trevor Keir, the team flirted with using the V6 from the 350Z or even employing a brace of 1.4-liter units. But in the end, they decided to fit the SR20DE engine that was used to power the Touring Car Championship-winning Primera of 1999. "There was room to squeeze it under the existing bonnet [hood]," says Keir, "but we realized that would just promote understeer, which wouldn't be much fun for the experienced driver."

The decision was made, therefore, to re-engineer the car for a mid-engine layout and rear-wheel drive. The rear bench seat was junked and the fuel tank was relocated in the now-empty engine bay. Introducing rear-wheel drive also meant tossing out the Micra's suspension components. They were replaced with front and rear subframes from the midsized Almera and the MacPherson struts were combined with race-tuned Proflex dampers. Eighteen-inch wheels, shod with Toyo Proxes T1-Ss, were introduced and the car was lowered by 1.6 inches at the front and 2 inches at the rear.

The new wheels also allowed RML to introduce larger brake discs and Brembo developed a bespoke system for the car. Measuring 13.8 at the front and 13.0 at the rear, they stop the car without the assistance of ABS. To complement the feel of the new brakes, RML also ditched the Micra's lifeless electric power steering system in favor of the Almera's hydraulic unit.

To cope with an engine capable of developing 265 hp, or almost four times the standard car's output, RML also stiffened the body shell by around 30 percent. Adding the roll cage helped, but the engineers also beefed up the suspension mounting points and fitted a massive x-brace under the hood. These components threatened to push the R's mass beyond the 2,200-pound target, so the engineers threw out the air conditioning, the airbags and the (pointless) sound system. The fascia was daubed in an Alcantara-like substance and the road car's soft chairs were replaced with a pair of Sabelt race seats.

You clamber aboard and rest your feet on aluminum cladding that poses as carpet. The R is started by pressing a huge red button borrowed from a Skyline GT-R. The engine sparks almost immediately and settles to an angry, irregular idle as the MoTeC digital data screen comes to life. The gearstick may look familiar but it hides a straight-cut sequential box sourced from Hewland. Keir claims that, with the exception of first to second, it's possible to flat change up without the aid of the clutch. Downshifts, though, benefit from a proper application of the heel-and-toe technique.

The last time I drove a Touring car, the clutch was a nightmare and I stalled it twice. By contrast, the Micra is relatively easy to drive. RML's brief was to develop a car that could be driven by beginners, but would also challenge the experienced. And it succeeded.

The R moves away easily but a determined shove is required to select a new ratio, which engages with a satisfying clunk. The ECU unit actually allows for two different engine mapping solutions-the first provides peak power of 250 bhp at 7000 rpm, while the second delivers 265 bhp at 8000 rpm. Naturally, I select the 265 bhp setting, and leave it there.

Not surprisingly, given the power output and the capacity, this is a peaky engine. The maximum torque is a relatively meager 184 lb-ft and it isn't available until 6000 rpm. At less than 4000 rpm, the engine bogs down easily so it's necessary to work the gearbox hard to make swift progress. Maybe that's why the Micra never feels as fast as the figures suggest. Nissan reckons the R is good for 0-to-62 mph in less than 5 seconds and 150 mph, but subjective impressions suggest a time of 5.5 seconds is more realistic. Even when the engine comes on song above 4000 rpm and the exhaust note resonates around the cabin, you still don't get the exciting surge of acceleration that a power-to-weight ratio of 265 bhp/ton implies.

The suspension was tuned for road use and it's softer than you might imagine. The low-speed ride quality is far more cosseting than, say, a Mitsubishi EVO VIII, and it deals with the UK's undulating blacktop with considerable aplomb. It's also surprisingly benign at the limit. The combination of a mid-engine and tiny wheelbase is traditionally a recipe for wild, drop-throttle oversteer, but the Micra has been made docile by a suspension setup tuned for understeer.

But that's not to say the Micra can't be encouraged to wag its tail if you're determined enough. A punchy prod of the throttle in first or second gear and a quarter turn of lock is all that's required to tempt out the rear. Then the laws of physics take over and you have to be quick with the opposite lock to stop it from pirouetting. Thankfully, the hydraulic steering offers much more feel than the standard Micra's helm. And should all go wrong, the Brembo brakes live up to their on-paper specification and provide exceptional stopping power.

The Micra R is therefore something of a mixed bag. The styling, noise, gearbox and interior inevitably create a sense of occasion that its only road-going rival, the Renault Clio V6, cannot match. But you're still left with the impression that, given a free hand, RML would've created a faster and more focused tool. Ultimately, you never escape the feeling that this is a marketing ploy first and a supercar second. Maybe I should pay more attention to my girlfriend.

InteriorMoTeC dash and display, MoTeC M4 EC, RML/Nissan wiring loom, Sabelt seats, seat belts, steering wheel, RML roll cage