The Nissan Micra Cup
MISSISSAUGA, Ontario / MONTRÉAL, QC, Canada – Nissan Canada Inc. (NCI) and JD Motorsport Organization today announced the launch of the 2015 Nissan Micra Cup in Quebec- an exciting one-of-a-kind racing series offering the lowest running cost of any Canadian series and featuring Canada’s most affordable vehicle, the 2015 Nissan Micra.
Sanctioned by Auto Sport Québec (ASQ) and presented by JD Motorsport Organization with the support of Nissan Canada, the Nissan Micra Cup exclusively features the stock Micra 1.6 S M/T model with minor modifications, including NISMO suspension – to render it race-ready.
“The Nissan Micra Cup offers competitors the one of-a-kind opportunity to push the limits and hit speeds they never thought they could behind the wheel of Canada’s most attainable vehicle, the Nissan Micra,” says Christian Meunier, president of Nissan Canada Inc. “Nissan’s heritage is intrinsically connected to motorsports and dates back to the 1930’s. Therefore, we are proud to return to our roots in such a unique way, and in Canada! Through this collaboration with JD Motorsport Organization we have developed a highly accessible and extremely fun series for the Canadian motorsport enthusiast who has a dream to compete.”
The Nissan Micra Cup’s inaugural season will take place in Canada’s motorsport fan hub, the province of Québec, over the course of five weekends starting in May 2015. The Nissan Micra Cup will offers drivers the opportunity to race on some of the most well-known race tracks in Quebec, with the potential to expand to other provinces in 2016 and beyond.
Unlike most motorsport events, each competing Nissan Micra race vehicle will have the exact same specifications, resulting in a competition that truly reveals the most skilled drivers. The Nissan Micra Cup race vehicles remain equipped with the Nissan Micra’s stock 1.6-litre DOHC 4-cylinder engine with dual fuel injection and Twin CVTC (Continuously Variable Timing Control) and stock 5-speed manual transmission. More than 25 Nissan Micras will compete on each race weekend which will include two hours of track time consisting of: a 30-minute trial, a 30-minute qualifying session and two 30-minute races.
“When I drove the 2015 Nissan Micra for the first time, the one thing that stood out above everything else is how fun this car is to drive. It’s exceptionally nimble, agile and responsive,” says Jacques Deshaies, founder of JD Motorsports. “At that point in time, I was already well in the planning stages of developing a motorsport series that would offer low running costs for the enthusiast Canadian. After my first test-drive in the Micra, with my heart racing from this seemingly inconspicuous, subcompact car, I knew without a doubt this was the optimum vehicle for the motorsport series.”
The road to the starting line
As part of its development, the Micra Cup race car has been through an intensive testing process handled by a team of motorsport specialists including Jean-François Dumoulin, the well-known professional racer from Québec. The Nissan Micra racing version is a legitimate race vehicle, complete with the following modifications to deliver the upmost in performance, reliability and safety:
- NISMO S-Tune Suspension Kit
- FIA-approved racing seat
- 5-point harness
- Fire extinguisher
- Modified exhaust
- High-performance brake pads
- Safety cage
- Driver protection net
- Front and rear towing hooks
- Stylized Fastwheels wheels with Pirelli low profile high performance tires
Each Micra competing in the Nissan Micra Cup will be prepared by the Motorsports in Action (MIA) team in St-Eustache. Everything in the interior of the vehicle will be removed: seats, floor, door panels, steering wheel, etc., to install the aforementioned features and transform it into the race version, ready for the Nissan Micra Cup. After some testing on the track, this race-ready Nissan Micra will then be delivered to the Nissan Micra Cup competitors.
Nissan is proud to offer the most affordable new car in Canada and the most affordable new race vehicle in Canada. The race-ready version of the Nissan Micra will be available by special order to JD Motorsports for the final price of $19,998*, which includes the installation of all the required safety features, new wheels and tires, NISMO S-Tune suspension and modified exhaust.
“I really enjoyed every minute I spent testing the Nissan Micra at Autodrome Saint-Eustache and Circuit Mont-Tremblant. For a car which is still almost stock, the Nissan Micra, is quite fast and so much fun to drive,” says Jean-François Dumoulin. “After pushing it to the edge of its limits on these tracks without any issues, I can attest to the fact the racing version of the Nissan Micra is a formidable and predictable car. It’s going to be very interesting to see the competitors going head-to-head on the tracks in the Nissan Micra Cup – may the best driver win!”
A car and motorsport series for the masses
The vehicles used in the Nissan Micra Cup are a brilliant blend of the proven, high-quality stock parts from Nissan, and some high-performance features to ensure the Nissan Micras are ready for legitimate track races. JD Motorsport Organization, in collaboration with Nissan and NISMO, worked extensively with a team of professionals at Motorsports in Action (MIA) to develop this special racing version of the Nissan Micra, which is constructed on the stock Nissan Micra S (base) model
There are several parallels between the Nissan Micra Cup and its namesake vehicle, the Nissan Micra. Both the vehicle and the series have been tailored for Canadians, by Canadians. Both the Nissan Micra and the Nissan Micra Cup are easily accessible for Canadians for the respective aims. The Nissan Micra provides Canadians with low cost of ownership due to established reliability, and consequently, the Nissan Micra Cup offers its competitors with the lowest annual racing costs in a Canadian series.
Young karting drivers, the average Canadian looking for an entry point into motorsport competition, or anyone who wants to experience the rush of adrenaline inherent with racing cars are all well-suited to this series. In summary, the Nissan Micra Cup is for people who are passionate about motorsports, want to experience all the fun and thrills of racing, but without spending staggering amounts of money.
To learn more about the Nissan Micra Cup, and place your order through JD Motorsports, visit: www.nissan.ca/micracup
About the Nissan Micra
Earlier this year, the Nissan Micra returned to Canada after 23 years as an all-new model, offering Canadians unbeatable value with the lowest starting Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) in Canada at $9,998. One item that sets the 2015 Micra apart is its agility. Micra is easy to drive and park, thanks to excellent all-round visibility and turning radius, electric power steering and a power to weight ratio that surprises. Powering the front-wheel drive Micra is a DOHC 1.6-litre 4-cylinder engine rated at 109 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm and 107 lb-ft. of torque @ 4,400 rpm.
*Excludes taxes.