Time was you'd feel the wrath of a manufacturer (and woman) scorned if you even dared suggest a model was a 'girl's car' but the new, cheaper Nissan Micra ELLE has undoubtedly been targeted toward the fairer sex.
Nissan has revealed prices for the new Micra range, starting from £7,995 for the supermini, but it's the Nissan Micra ELLE special edition that's really caught our eye as the Japanese brand teams up with women's magazine Elle to deliver a distinctly feminine new car option.
Get a FREE NISSAN MICRA Brochure
Looking for a new car then why not start with a glossy NISSAN MICRA brochure?
While the infamous flower-in-the-dashboard Volkswagen Beetle hit sales with male buyers so much a new, more 'masculine' model was revealed this year to replace the iconic car, Nissan believes aiming the Micra at female buyers is the best option to attract new drivers to its small car range.
What's in a name?
Prices for the ELLE start from £11,195, but it's the suffix that's gaining most attention in the motoring world.
The car was been designed in conjunction with the famous women's magazine and released on September 1st from £12,000. It's a truly fashionable car to rival the Vauxhall Adam's Glam trim and the Fiat 500's colour therapy range.
Fiat UK, in fact, teamed up with Cosmopolitan magazine earlier in the year to promote the Colour Therapy range to 'young, cool and trendy fashionistas' (read: teenage girls that wear big glasses that actually don't have any glass in them).
The sheer power of the ELLE brand though instantly sets the new Micra apart from that target market. ELLE magazine's French roots and sharp journalism make it the ultimate fashion bible - Nissan appear to be cleverly trying to tap into a market of middle-class women that need an affordable city car for their needs.
The ELLE special edition of the Micra comes with all the trappings of the Acenta Connect spec, and also features climate control, a beautiful glass roof and painted 15-inch alloys. An ELLE Badge adorns the car as standard.
The new Micra
Only 500 Nissan Micra ELLEs are available in the UK, with the car available with a 1.2-litre 80PS three-cylinder petrol engine or a 1.2 direct injection supercharged version which produces 99g/km of CO2.
"A hectic lifestyle means today's ultra-busy woman spends her day juggling work and leisure activities, family, friends and relationships... and she needs an ally. The Nissan Micra ELLE is that ally, helping her get through the day by being a key partner for getting around the city," said Geraldine Ingham, Chief Marketing Manager for Nissan in Europe when the car was launched.
The new Micra still features the same levels of standard equipment, with every model now featuring Bluetooth technology. MP3 player connectivity is also present on all models.
The Acenta Connect model features a Connect touchscreen satnav system from Nissan's award-winning range and costs £10,495. At the top of the range is the Micra Tekna with parking space measurement control,. Automatic headlights, rain sensing wipers and more from £11,545.
Also available is Nissan's three years' low cost servicing option and three years' roadside assistance from £199.
Don't worry chaps, we haven't forgotten you. There are some more manly cars out there - for example the GQbyCitroen, which was designed in conjunction with GQ magazine, was a concept car aimed at the discerning gentleman back in 2010.
Written by John Meadowcroft