• Rare 160 SR model

• Very recently MOT’d

• 6-CD changer and air-con

• Reliable and economical

Ever since its launch in 1982, the Nissan Micra (known as the March in its domestic market) has stood for reliable, practical and affordable motoring.

These cars are compact, crisply styled, and offer the sort of no-frills proposition that fits keenly with sensible and frugal budgets.…except that sometimes, just sometimes, the no-frills idea has gone out of the window.

The first-gen (K10) Micra was offered in Super S spec, with a rakish bodykit and extra interior equipment. The Mk2 (K11) could be optioned as an SR or, again, a Super S. And the pattern continued with the car you see here, the K12 Micra. This is the generation built between 2002-2011, with a facelift in 2005 bringing in a redesigned grille and bumpers, revised seats and improved trim.

At this time, Nissan Europe also launched a performance model, the Micra 160 SR. The ‘160’ in the name doesn’t denote the power output as some mistakenly assume, but the engine size: this car features the 1.6-litre HR16DE engine, producing 111bhp, and the model was also treated to sports suspension, 16” alloys and a subtle bodykit.

And with a kerb weight just a smidge over a tonne, the power-to-weight ratio leads to some genuinely entertaining performance from that effervescent four-pot. A hidden gem, this.

This Micra recently came into the possession of a collector who has an eye for the offbeat. As well as various classic Mercedes-Benz and Jaguars, we’ve known him to enjoy the likes of the Fiat Stilo Schumacher and all sorts – and when he spied the 160 SR for sale, he knew it was something rare that he wanted to try. Indeed, with just 700 or so currently registered on UK roads, these things are tantalisingly obscure.

However, now that curiosity has been sated, it’s time for the collector to move onto his next acquisition and somebody else to enjoy this rare and entertaining car.

The V5 is present, along with the original manuals. The Micra passed its MOT on November 29th, and it was a good pass – the only advisories were for wiper blades and a loose battery, so nothing concerning here.

We can see from its history that it’s averaged around 6,200 miles per year throughout its life, which is comfortably below average.

Being the top-of-the-range model, the 160 SR came surprisingly well equipped. While most Micras were somewhat austere in their runabout shopper nature, this variant came with air-conditioning and a 6-CD changer as well as electric windows and drilled aluminium pedals.

One little Micra secret that owners particularly enjoy is the hidden storage compartment inside the front passenger seat – when you pull the tab at the back the seat base lifts up, and there’s a handy cubbyhole in there, just the right size for your Friday night takeaway.

The cabin is generally tidy; there’s some visible wear to the gearstick and steering wheel, plus the odd mark on the seat fabric, but on the whole it’s in-keeping with a 2005 car with this kind of mileage.

Given the shopper niche the Micra sits in, it’s quite often the case that you find them liberally sprinkled with parking grazes and dings, but that’s not the reality here. Indeed, aside from a scuff on the front bumper by one of the foglights, it’s all pretty tidy. 

There are some other minor scuffs near the front number plate and across the rear bumper, but on the whole it’s pretty clean throughout. The light lenses and window glass are all good. You may notice some kerbing to a couple of the alloy wheels, but the owner actually has another similar Micra with a set of identical wheels in better condition, so he’ll be swapping the good ones onto this car before it sells.

The engine is the important bit in a 160 SR, as it’s really what differentiates it from lesser Micras. In this car it appears to be in fine fettle – the motor starts on the first twist of the key, idles correctly, and pulls strongly through the gears under eager acceleration as well as happily pottering about town.

The car’s light weight is a real boon here too, as the acceleration feels more vivid than one might expect from 110-odd horsepower.
The owner reports no issues with the gearbox or clutch, nor with the brakes, steering or suspension, assuring us that it’s a pleasant, entertaining and reliable thing to drive. 

This is going to be a lot of car for the money for somebody, without a doubt. Nissan’s early-2000s warm hatch is a bit of a forgotten curio, and while the performance figures mightn’t set the world on fire, it’s a very tractable and perky thing that feels much quicker than you might think.

It’s well equipped, complete and original, and dependable for day-to-day use. You can sneak in and out of urban traffic with most people thinking it’s just another Micra, but you’ll know it’s underpinned by a vital element of stealth. And for the low cost of entry here, this is one fizzy little tearaway that oughtn’t break the bank.



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