Karen Ackroyd (far right) receives the keys to her new 2015 Micra from Christian Meunier, President, Nissan Canada Inc. (left). In the centre is Edward Wong, Principal Owner, Alta Nissan
A few days ago, Karen Ackroyd drove to her local Nissan dealership — Alta Nissan in Woodbridge, Ont. – for the sole reason of participating in an interview regarding her experience with her 1987 Nissan Micra. The nature of the interview took a new direction when Karen unexpectedly received the keys to a brand-new 2015 Nissan Micra — hand-delivered to her by Christian Meunier, President of Nissan Canada Inc.
Originally sold in Canada from 1985-1992, Nissan concluded that following an extensive three-year consumer, product and market research study, the Micra should return to Canada once again for 2015.
Ackroyd, who took delivery of her ’87 model in December 1986 and held onto it for the next 27 years was naturally excited about the prospect of the Micra making its return to Canadian soil.
“When Micra first launched in Canada in the 1980s, it was touted as having ‘major headroom and visibility,’ being “fun to drive’ and ‘the newest and most affordable Nissan.’ Almost three decades later, these traits remain absolutely true for the new Nissan Micra,” said Christian Meunier. “It’s wonderful to see a dedicated fan of the first Micra model in Canada come full circle. The 2015 model is hugely upgraded in terms of modern amenities, safety and technology features, but the core Micra characteristics are still there.”
Karen Ackroyd’s new 2015 Micra, “Baby 2” pictured alongside “Baby” her original 1987 model
In the Alta Nissan community, Ackroyd is famous for her ’87 Micra, and for how well she takes care of it, aptly nicknaming it “Baby.” At the time of receiving her new Micra, Ackroyd’s ’87 model had just over 125,000 kilometres on the clock. Staff at the dealership admired the car’s pristine condition, especially considering it had been driven almost every day since Ackroyd purchased it new.
“Karen took such great care of her ‘Baby’ for over 25 years and when she heard we were bringing Micra back to Canada, she told us she would be excited to get behind the wheel of a new one,” says Gabriel Paniccia, general manager of Alta Nissan.
“We are very appreciative of Karen’s loyalty, not only to the brand, and the Alta Nissan dealership, but also to the Micra itself. Therefore, it gives me immense delight to participate in this wonderful surprise for Karen Ackroyd, a long-time member of the Nissan Canada family.”
When Ackroyd was asked how she managed to keep a car from the 1980s in such good condition, her immediate response was, “it’s simple, routine maintenance. I cannot stress how important it is to have your oil and filter changed on a regular basis at a certified dealership. If you listen to your dealer, and service your vehicle as-needed, then your car should last! In almost 30 years, my Micra has never given me trouble — never broken down on the road, and I’ve haven’t had an expensive service bill.”
The new model Karen received is a 2015 Nissan Micra SV, equipped with a manual transmission.
“I believe Karen is going to love the 2015 Micra as much, if not more than, her 1987 Micra, concluded Christian Meunier. “It was a very special pleasure for me to be the one to personally deliver Karen her ‘Baby 2,’ and start the next chapter in this exceptional customer loyalty story.”
To learn more about Karen Ackroyd’s amazing story, click on the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYQenziVf5s
