The new engine slashes the emissions from the Micra down from 115g/km CO2 to just 95g/km, while boosting power from 80PS to 98PS.
The Japanese car maker says the ‘Direct Injection Gasoline-Supercharged’ engine offers the performance of a bigger petrol engine with the economy of a diesel.
The ultra low emission 1.2-litre, three cylinder petrol engine emits only 95g/km fitted to a Visia version of the Micra and 99g/km for the better-equipped Acenta and Tekna models. Official fuel consumption is 68.9mpg or 65.7mpg on the combined cycle, beating some similarly sized diesel models.
The engine achieves the improvements in power and economy through a series of measures to improve efficiency. Direct injection, valve timing control with eco mode, improved exhaust gas recirculation, specially shaped pistons and a higher compression ratio ensures maximum efficiency.
A stop / start function also helps to reduce emissions and fuel consumption by automatically turning off the engine whilst stationary and restarts it again when you are ready to move off. The amount of CO2 saved during stop / start is displayed on the dashboard.
The engine is available as a 5-speed manual or with an optional advanced CVT automatic gearbox for an additional £1,000.
On sale from the September 1, 2011, the DIG-S costs just £1,000 more than the equivalent, non-supercharged version at just £11,150; under cutting many diesel rivals. With diesel typically costing 4.1p per litre more than petrol, DIG-S owners could save at the pumps too.
