Geneva Auto Show: 2011 Nissan Micra

Introduced on Tuesday: 2011 Nissan Micra

What is it? This econo-sedan, the fourth generation of Nissan’s important Global Compact Car architecture, made me think of my teenage daughter and her boyfriend — this car’s target market. They now play this game they call “your team, my team.” “If some dork walks by, I yell, ‘Your team’ to him,” she confided. If Jennifer Garner should pass, the boyfriend would invariably call dibs, “My team.” If the new Nissan Micra drove by I would definitely shout, “Your team.”

The car is sold in Europe and Japan, where it is known as the March, but has never been available in the United States. There are no immediate plans for that to change, though Nissan hasn’t ruled it out way down the road. After all, the company has been looking for something smaller to slot beneath the Versa. The Micra goes on sale first in Thailand next month. Talk about an Off Off Broadway debut.

How’s it look? “The car has to charm a global audience,” said its designer, Makoto Yamane. “Its face had to look stylish and have an air of sophistication to it.” Charm? Style? Sophistication? From here, it looks all “F” grades on that report card.

Daewoo Matiz

The Daewoo Matiz is a city car produced by the South Korean automaker GM Korea, marketed worldwide since 1998 when it replaced the Daewoo Tico. It is available solely as a five-door hatchback with two engine configurations. The Matiz was originally designed by Italdesign Giugiaro, and has received two facelifts. Various generations of the car have been sold under both Daewoo and various GM brands, and have been manufactured and marketed under license agreements by local automakers in several countries. The Matiz was built between 1998 and 2006 over 2.3 million units in the world.

Honda Civic

The Honda Civic is a line of subcompact and subsequently compact cars made and manufactured by Honda. The Civic, along with the Accord and Prelude, comprised Honda's vehicles sold in North America until the 1990s, when the model lineup was expanded. Having gone through several generational changes, the Civic has become larger and more upmarket, and it currently slots between the Fit and Accord.

It was introduced in July 1972 as a two-door coupe, followed by a three-door hatchback that September. With the transverse engine mounting of its 1169 cc engine and front-wheel drive like the British Mini, the car provided good interior space despite overall small dimensions. Early models of the Civic typically included a basic AM radio, heater, foam-cushioned plastic trim, two-speed wipers, and painted steel rims with a chromed wheel nut cap. As the years went by, it has become much more upscale with options such as air conditioning, power locks, power windows, leather upholstery, satellite-linked navigation, and a six-speed manual transmission. Initially gaining a reputation for being fuel-efficient, reliable, and environmentally friendly, later iterations have become known for performance and sportiness, especially the Civic Type-R, Civic GTi and Civic SiR.

Audi R8 Le Mans Concept

The Audi R8 V12 TDI (later renamed the Audi R8 TDI Le Mans), was unveiled as a diesel engined concept car based on the Audi R8 (road car), was presented at the 2008 North American International Auto Show on 13 January, and the Geneva Motor Show in March. It was to use a 6.0 litre V12 engine, utilising Volkswagen Group's long-established Turbocharged Direct Injection (TDI) turbodiesel technology. This engine was rated 368 kilowatts (500 PS; 493 bhp), and 1,000 newton metres (738 ft·lbf) of torque. It uses Audi's quattro permanent four-wheel drive system, and is longitudinally mid-engined. It has a six-speed manual transmission. It accelerates from 0 to 100 kilometres per hour (0 to 62 mph) in 4.2 seconds, and its top speed is 325 km/h (202 mph).

Bentley Continental Flying Spur (2005)

The Bentley Continental Flying Spur is a four-door variant of the Bentley Continental GT coupé. The Bentley Continental Flying Spur was introduced in 2005.

The Continental Flying Spur is equipped with a 5,998 cubic centimetres (366.0 cu in) (6.0 litre) twin-turbocharged W12 engine. It produces a DIN-rated motive power output of 560 metric horsepower (412 kW; 552 bhp) at 6,100 rpm, and torque of 650 newton metres (479 ft·lbf) at 1,600-6,100 rpm. Torsen-based permanent four-wheel drive is standard. It will complete the standard sprint of 0–100 kilometres per hour (0–62.1 mph) in 5.2 seconds, and can reach a top speed of 312 kilometres per hour (194 mph).

Some of the Bentley's technical and powertrain components are related to those on the Volkswagen Phaeton, Audi A8 and S8. The car was designed by the same team who produced the Continental GT and Continental GTC.