A HIGH efficiency 1.2-litre petrol engine will be making its debut this summer in a new version of the Nissan Micra which is claimed to be capable of averaging almost 70 miles to the gallon.
The direct injection engine is fitted with a supercharger to boost output to 98PS giving performance similar to that of a conventional 1.5-litre engine.
In the entry level Micra, the DIG-S engine has CO2 emissions of 95g/km making it exempt from road tax.
The higher grade Acenta model, which has additional equipment and weighs more, is also sub-100g/km. Models fitted with CVT gearboxes are rated at 115g/km.
Nissan says the top speed of the basic Micra Visia with a manual box is 112mph with average fuel economy of 68.9mpg.
The current 1.2-litre Micra, introduced last year and costing from £8,995, averages 56.5mpg, is not as quick and produces 115g/km CO2.
The Micra with the DIG-S engine will be first seen in Europe at the Geneva Motor Show on March 1 and is due on sale in the UK a few months later. Prices for the new car are still to be announced.