Nissan's Note small MPV, which has just been launched in Ireland, cost the company €150 million to make it suitable for Europe.
Nissan had to reinforce both ends of the car by 25 percent to deal with the more poor roads and higher speeds of European driving.
The European version also has a wider engine range than the 1.5-litre petrol unit that is the only engine in Japan.
In main European markets, the Note is available from just under €13,000. The entry level version in Ireland is just under €18,000.
Brian Byrne.
