2011 Leaf Sl Hb Electric, Navigation, Rear Camera, Bluetooth, 35394 Miles on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Renault will develop and build the next-generation Nissan Micra

PARIS — French carmaker Renault will develop and assemble the next generation of partner NissanÂ’s Micra models, a senior executive at the Japanese firm said, as the two companies try to reboot their alliance with tighter cooperation in production. Ashwani Gupta, NissanÂ’s chief operating officer, said in an interview with FranceÂ’s Le Monde newspaper published on Monday that the Micra plan was an example of their “leader-follower” strategy, with one firm taking the lead on certain car types. Nissan Micra models are already assembled at RenaultÂ’s Flins factory in France, although that site is set to be turned over to recycling activities around 2024, when the life cycle of the car ranges made there expires. “For the next generation of Micra, we will follow Renault, and we will ask Renault to develop and make the future Micra for us,” Gupta said. Both struggling financially, Renault and Nissan have cleared the decks of old managers and outlined joint cost-saving plans as they try to move on from a scandal surrounding former alliance boss Carlos Ghosn. Ghosn, who fled detention in Japan and is now in Lebanon, denies financial misconduct charges against him.

2015 Nissan GT-R Nismo priced from $149,990* [w/videos]

Remember when they called the Nissan GT-R a supercar-slayer? You can drop the "slayer" part, because the Japanese brute known as Godzilla has long since grown from an ankle-biter nipping at the heels of giants to a giant in its own right. And if that's the case with the "basic" GT-R, it's certainly the case with the new GT-R Nismo.
While the base price for the GT-R has breached the six-figure mark, the Nismo version has just been priced ten bucks shy of $150k. Factor in the $1,595 destination charge and you're looking at a $151,585 sticker price. That may seem like a lot for a Nissan, but bear in mind what you're getting for all that scrap: the GT-R Nismo's 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 has been optimized to deliver 600 horsepower and 481 pound-feet of torque to all four wheels.
We've yet to see official performance stats, but considering that the base GT-R hits 60 in 2.6 seconds with 55 hp and 18 lb-ft less muscle, the Nismo version ought to teach a lesson or two to exotic supercars costing twice or even ten times as much. Just check it out in the videos and press release below.

Should you buy an EV?

Gas prices are hitting the skids and EVs are following suit; nearly every model in today's market has experienced a double-digit decline in sales – with the always notable exception of the Tesla Model S. Some EVs are in the last year of their generation while others have been half-heartedly designed and engineered to fulfill federal government quotas. The two non-Tesla front runners, the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf, are in the unfortunate position of offering customers "2015" vehicles that were designed with 2011 in mind. Yet there's plenty of love in the air. Nissan has built over 180,000 Leafs worldwide, and chances are you will be seeing a second electric vehicle accompanying the Leaf when the new generation is released in the coming months. The Chevy Volt now offers the highest customer satisfaction out of any car or truck sold in North America. Forget the luxury cars, the sports cars, the family trucksters, and even the rolling flagship that guides Tesla's jaw dropping valuation on Wall Street. You want happy with your EV? The brand that's rocking the segment right now is Chevy. It's been doing so for a while. The EV market is poised to become a lot more sophisticated over the next 18 months with the three leading manufacturers – Tesla, General Motors, and Nissan – launching five brand new models along with no fewer than 16 other manufacturers making many of their bread and butter cars available as plug-in hybrids. So, if you want to keep your money as far away from the Arab dictatorships and Russian mafia as Mercury is from Pluto, and enjoy your commute, we're more than ready to do our part! So let's begin with the most important question. What's Your Range? How much driving do you generally do in a day? If the answer to that question is 50 miles or fewer, an all-electric vehicle like the Nissan Leaf may be the best ingredient for your driving recipe. This is especially true if you have a second vehicle you can use for the occasional longer drive or are willing to rent for the weekend. But here's a little surprise for you. The upcoming Chevy Volt was designed to be driven in all-electric mode for over 50 miles. Fifty-three, to be exact. Plus, the Volt's battery has experienced a lot fewer deterioration issues than the Nissan Leaf's due in part to the Volt's liquid-cooled battery, which also uses a lot less of its capacity than the air-cooled Leaf's does.