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2015 Nissan Micra is your cheapest new car, Canada

Canadians looking for a brand-new car on the cheap, take note. This is the 2015 Nissan Micra, and it will arrive at dealerships this spring boasting a starting price of $9,998 Canadian dollars (circa $9,100 US), well under the $11,898 asked for a 2014 Versa Sedan.
Of course, that ultra-low asking price isn't for a fully loaded model. The Micra will arrive in the Great White North in three trims - S, SV and SR - with the buyer's choice of a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic. A 109-horsepower, 1.6-liter four-cylinder is the sole engine choice. There will also be a number of accessory options that should allow some personalization for the small cars, with Nissan claiming that things like door handle finishers and mirror caps will be available in five different colors (plus chrome) for under $200.
"At Nissan, we understand the need in Canada for small, urban-friendly cars that are fun to drive and express their driver's personality. With Micra, we're delivering a proven global vehicle at a very attractive price - it's going to make a huge impact on the market," said Christian Meunier, the President of Nissan Canada.

These EVs are the worst when it comes to depreciation

The Renault Fluence Z.E. tops the list of the worst depreciating cars according to a ranking compiled by Glass' Information Services, holding just 27.21 percent of its value after a year of ownership and 12,000 miles on the clock. Just as well that you can't buy the sedan anymore in either electric or ICE versions, since it was discontinued last year. This car took a particularly rough hit when Better Place declared bankrutpcy, since the electric Fluence was a specific fit for the aspirations of the battery-swapping company. The Citroen C-Zero hits the list at number four, the Nissan Leaf E at number five, both holding onto just a third of their value after a year. The C-Zero is a rebadged Mitsubishi i-MiEV, and if you bought one stock for the full UK on-the-road price of 26,766 pounds, you'd have a car worth 8,583.86 pounds twelve months later, according to Glass. We're not sure about the wording of the press release, though - it states that those three cars "lost more than three-quarters of their value." Yet the Fluence E Z.E. is the worst offender, and it doesn't dip below 25 percent of its original value. As with those electrics, the rest of the list is made up of aged or barebones ICE models, some of them touted elsewhere for their popularity. You can find the full list and the valuations in the press release below. ELECTRIC CARS AMONG WORST FIRST YEAR DEPRECIATORS Fluence, C-Zero and LEAF all lose more than three-quarters of their value 15/07/15 - Three electric cars are among the worst first year depreciators in a "Bottom 10" released by motor trade valuation market leaders Glass's. The Renault Fluence, Citroen C-Zero and Nissan LEAF E have all lost more than three-quarters of their value after covering 12,000 miles during the last 12 months. Rupert Pontin, head of valuations at Glass, said: "The motor trade and the used car buying public remain interested in electric cars but are still reticent to actually buy them in numbers – and these depreciation figures reflect that fact. "To be fair, these three EVs are among some of the least attractive on the market – the Fluence and C-Zero both have a 'last generation' feel while the LEAF E is on the bottom rung of the LEAF range – but their presence does reflect the fact that the EV sector remains sluggish." Other models in the list include the lowest-powered, entry level versions of some generally popular but aging models such as the Vauxhall Insignia and Renault Megane.

Alpine unveils N36 LMP2 car that will race in 24 Hours of Le Mans

This is the Alpine LMP2 competitor you'll see contesting European endurance races this year, including The 24 Hours of Le Mans in June. Parent company Renault showed off the N36 racer at its atelier in Paris, the blue and orange a switch from the yellow, black and white livery Alpine wore last time it was seen in Le Mans way back in 1978 when it won the race.
The team will be run by Signatech-Nissan and the chassis will be powered by a Nissan engine. Nelson Panciatici and Pierre Ragues will contest World Endurance Championship rounds throughout the year, they'll be joined by endurance and IndyCar veteran Tristan Gommendy for Le Mans and Paul-Loup Chatin as the team's reserve driver.
The Alpine N36 will get into its first test this week at Paul Ricard, then experience its first racing miles at the European Le Mans Series round at Silverstone on April 13. The press release below has the full scoop, the photos above have the past and present in high-res glory.