by "Eric @ opposite-lock.com" (theyrerolling)
Published 02/27/2017 at 16:30
by "Eric @ opposite-lock.com" (theyrerolling)
Published 02/27/2017 at 16:30
Tags: Design Details
; Nissan Micra
; Nissan
; Micra
STARS: 0
So, there I was, in Canada, looking out my hotel window at the rental car places below, contemplating reserving a car... I kept searching and searching, but it was reserved and they weren’t going to let me have it (bastards!), so I ended up renting from the place next door.
However, as I was checking out the cheapest car in Canada, which I wanted to drive so badly (I love driving weird cars we don’t get in the US), I noticed something really weird about it that I had never noticed in all the other pictures I had seen...
See that up there? What is that aboot? These two weird curves making a sort of boomerang shape on the roof of the car. Is it just a design detail? Is it there for aerodynamic reasons? What is going on here?!
Still want to drive one. Ended up with a Soul. Still love the Soul.
Do you have any other curious sheetmetal bits to talk about?
"BlueMazda2 - Blesses the rains down in Africa, Purveyor of BMW Individual Arctic Metallic, Merci Twingo" (bluemazda2)
02/27/2017 at 16:38, STARS: 1
I’ve always wondered what the crescent is for, but I always forget about it
"TheTurbochargedSquirrel" (thatsquirrel)
02/27/2017 at 16:39, STARS: 0
I doubt it is a styling cue as very few people look at the top of their cars. My money is on it being an aerodynamic solution (maybe for shaping the air around the antenna?) . Heck it might even be a way to strengthen the roof so they can get away with using thinner sheet metal.
"RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars" (rallydarkstrike)
02/27/2017 at 16:40, STARS: 1
Very cool! Never noticed this before! I quite like the Micra though, I have a thing for ‘cheep and cheerful’ cars :)
"AfromanGTO" (afromangto)
02/27/2017 at 16:42, STARS: 0
So Citroen is in Canada now?
"Milky" (jordanmielke)
02/27/2017 at 16:45, STARS: 1
Everyone knows about Chrysler’s hood strakes, but the Crossfire also has a center line on the roof.
"DAWRX - The Herb Strikes Back" (karsonkinja)
02/27/2017 at 16:48, STARS: 1
http://business.cap.co.uk/driving-impressions/nissan-micra-tekna
Found this through some google-fu. Says it lowers weight and CO2 emissions somehow?
"415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)" (415s30)
02/27/2017 at 17:02, STARS: 0
What happened to that SLK?
"DocWalt" (DocWalt)
02/27/2017 at 17:06, STARS: 1
It stiffens the roof so they can use a thinner sheet metal without it sounding and feeling like an empty soda can.
"Milky" (jordanmielke)
02/27/2017 at 17:08, STARS: 0
It got a fixed roof and less bland sheet metal.
"415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)" (415s30)
02/27/2017 at 17:09, STARS: 0
:P
"vicali" (vicali)
02/27/2017 at 17:16, STARS: 0
Makes the snow come off better..
"The AE86 of Mt. Akina (Hachi)" (theae86)
02/27/2017 at 17:26, STARS: 0
Nissan Micra’s are pretty short, but you’re right.
"Eric @ opposite-lock.com" (theyrerolling)
02/27/2017 at 17:37, STARS: 0
Definitely some curious/pointless sheetmetal work here. I guess it doesn’t cost much (if anything) more to make a stamp with/without these, so they could all be purely for styling.
"Probenja" (probenja)
02/27/2017 at 17:38, STARS: 0
The Note also has lines in the roof, it’s mostly for looks:
"Eric @ opposite-lock.com" (theyrerolling)
02/27/2017 at 17:41, STARS: 0
They’re tiny little cars. Only slightly bigger than a Mini Cooper in that respect. People definitely see the roofs on them.
I wouldn’t be surprised as any of these, but I really wonder what the actual reason is behind it/them.
I haven’t noticed any other very cheap/efficient cars with these, even though it would be a pretty easy thing to add. The newer body style doesn’t have them, so if it had a purpose, it wasn’t important enough to bring forward.
"Eric @ opposite-lock.com" (theyrerolling)
02/27/2017 at 17:42, STARS: 0
Considering it’s sold in Canada, that would be quite practical...
"Eric @ opposite-lock.com" (theyrerolling)
02/27/2017 at 17:47, STARS: 0
I’d buy that, but there are much better and more effective shapes, plus nobody else seems to do it with their cheap cars. Even the next-size-up Nissans don’t have it...
"Eric @ opposite-lock.com" (theyrerolling)
02/27/2017 at 17:48, STARS: 0
They don’t operate in North America to my knowledge. All Central & South America when it comes to the Americas.
"Eric @ opposite-lock.com" (theyrerolling)
02/27/2017 at 17:50, STARS: 0
I don’t see how it could lower weight.
I did see that in my searching around about it, but it only vaguely referenced “Nissan” claiming something. They were just as skeptical.
"Eric @ opposite-lock.com" (theyrerolling)
02/27/2017 at 17:51, STARS: 0
This is a very different design in the sheetmetal from what you see on the Micra, though.
It’s also the prime reason I question many of the theories - if it did anything beneficial, why isn’t it on the Note?
"Milky" (jordanmielke)
02/27/2017 at 18:56, STARS: 2
"DAWRX - The Herb Strikes Back" (karsonkinja)
02/27/2017 at 19:02, STARS: 0
I mean...It could lower weight. Every ounce counts right? Haha
"Eric @ opposite-lock.com" (theyrerolling)
02/27/2017 at 20:07, STARS: 0
The only way it could do much would be if it allowed for thinner metal overall, otherwise it would need to be at least the same amount of metal, it’s merely formed into a different shape.
"DocWalt" (DocWalt)
02/27/2017 at 21:23, STARS: 0
Has to be styling on top of the engineering reasons... I’m sure the higher up Nissans have more metal under the skin while that cheap one is literally just some sheet metal and the roll hoop structure.
"gmporschenut also a fan of hondas" (gmporschenut)
02/27/2017 at 22:41, STARS: 0
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
http://business.cap.co.uk/driving-impressions/nissan-micra-tekna
my guess is to break up the area of pressure on the front of the roof. by having it arch it also breaks up the area of low pressure (blue in top picture) and can dissipate it off to the side
"Tapas" (tapas)
02/28/2017 at 02:36, STARS: 0
It tickles the air going over the roof into submission, so the airflow doesn’t give the car a hard time?
The Japanese are weird about their fetishes anyway.
"AfromanGTO" (afromangto)
02/28/2017 at 12:41, STARS: 1
Maybe they use the Citroen sheet metal press for the roofs of lower level Nissan?
"Nauraushaun" (nauraushaun12)
03/01/2017 at 06:03, STARS: 1
That’s a Micra right? I feel I knew about that but forgot. I need to hunt that shit down and get pics
"Eric @ opposite-lock.com" (theyrerolling)
03/02/2017 at 05:34, STARS: 1
It is a Micra, yes.