Dongfeng Nissan’s Venucia brand today unveiled the R30 supermini at the Beijing Auto Show, a model based on the Nissan March (or Micra, as it is known in Europe).

The fourth production model of the Venucia brand, the R30 is offered with a 1.2-liter gasoline engine in China, delivering “segment-competitive fuel economy with the strongest engine in class” and a spacious interior, according to the company’s press release. The Venucia R30 will be priced from below RMB 50,000 ($8,030).

“Very competitively priced, R30 is the perfect entry car for Chinese consumers. I believe many Chinese consumers will choose R30 as their first car in the continuing motorization of China,” commented Ren Yong, Deputy Managing Director of Dongfeng Nissan.

Order books for the R30 will start within the next two months.

Dongfeng Nissan also announced that sales of the Nissan Leaf-based Venucia e30 will begin in September. The company has already begun EV pilot programs in the cities of Guangzhou, Xiangyang and Dalian, with a total of 300 e30s recording a total mileage of 1 million kilometers (621,371 miles) since the programs started in December 2013.

Venucia recorded sales of more than 100,000 units in 2013 and is targeting a 50 percent increase in sales this year.

Yesterday, Nissan announced that it will sell the Micra in Canada. So what about a performance variant?

The March Nismo currently on display at the Tokyo Auto Salon is offering a preview of what that could look like, should it ever journey over the Pacific. Nissan plans to do a huge marketing push for its Nismo sub-brand this year and the March (soon to be sold as the Micra north of the border) could be part of that plan, although that doesn’t seem likely until after its calmer-looking cousin has a chance to settle in.

Along with an aero kit and beefier brakes, Nismo also outfitted the March with suspension upgrades, interior accessories and an exhaust. It might not be a GT-R Nismo, but its price tag is also much less imposing.

Nissan is bringing back a nameplate once known in North America for cheap, affordable motoring.

During a ceremony in Montreal, Canada earlier tonight, Nissan unveiled the 2015 Nissan Micra. Positioned below the sub-compact Versa Note, the Micra will join the growing city car segment in Canada featuring the likes of the Mitsubishi Mirage, Chevrolet Spark and Fiat 500.

The car is not entirely new as Micras are already sold in 160 countries worldwide, but Nissan swears it isn’t just a European transplant, saying it has been adapted for the North American market and designed to handle our less than perfect roads. So far, over 12,500 miles of testing has been conducted on Canadian spec Micras in preparation for launch.

Based on the Nissan V platform, the same one that houses the Nissan Versa Note, the smaller Micra will come with fewer standard features. Details are scarce for now, but Nissan does claim it will have an incredibly small turning radius and an available back-up camera to aid with parking. As well, tall passengers will be able to fit thanks to a high roofline.

The engine will be the same 1.6 liter four-cylinder unit found in the Versa Note, so expect the Micra to make around 109 hp, or a lot more than either the Chevrolet Spark or the Mitsubishi Mirage. Transmission choices will also the mirror the Versa Note, which means a standard five-speed manual and an optional continuously variable automatic. SR models like the open shown during the reveal sit on meaty 195/55R16 tires.

According to Nissan, the timing is right to bring this car to market now because the brand is expanding in Canada. Positioning a vehicle below the sub-compact Versa Note made sense to attract a new set of buyers, like first time car owners or those looking to downsize to cheaper, affordable transportation.

Pricing has not been announced at this time, but Nissan did say the car will represent big value in the city car segment. We expect it to start a bit more than the Mirage, but with more standard features and of course, more power. There will also be three trim levels: S, SV and SR, although the company hasn’t specified what those packages will include. At this time there are no plans to bring the Micra to the U.S., but Canadians will be able to get their hands on one this spring.

As previously announced, Nissan launched the 2015 Micra on the Canadian market at the Montreal International Auto Show (January 17-26). The Micra returns to Canada after a 20-year hiatus.

The 2015 Micra for Canada is the same car offered on European markets. Available in three models, the Micra S, SV and top-of-the-line SR, the Micra will be offered with a single engine, a 109hp 1.6-liter 4-cylinder unit mated to either a 5-speed manual transmission, or a 4-speed automatic transmission. The engine is the same used by the related Nissan Versa sedan.

Nissan says it has no plans to bring the car to the U.S. adding that it has been “extensively tested and perfected for the Canadian driver”. The car features heated outside mirrors, rear heater ducts (…to keep backseat toes warm), 60/40 split rear seats and either 15- or 16-inch wheels (sizes that are widely available as snow tires). Pricing has yet to be announced.

“Micra will truly be a car for every Canadian. It's been specifically designed for this market and has been thoroughly tested right here in Montreal in driving conditions Canadians typically face,” said Nissan Canada president Christian Meunier.

Alongside the Micra, Nissan’s stand at the show includes two other Canadian debuts: the 2015 Juke Nismo RS and the NV200 Taxi.

There’s a new cheapest car in North America and it’s managed to undercut the competition by a significant margin.

While it’s not for sale in America (yet) the Nissan Micra mini-car will be offered north of the border this year and will retail for the incredibly low price of just $9,998.

While full trim level details aren’t yet available the base Micra will be a stripper with no air conditioning and old fashioned roll-down windows. All Micra models will come equipped with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine making just over 100 hp.

Already known for offering one of the cheapest models on the market, Nissan’s Versa sedan retails for roughly $2,000 more ($11,898 in Canada) or $11,990 in U.S. dollars.

Speaking with AutoGuide a Nissan Canada marketing representative revealed that while he knows of no plans to offer the car in the U.S., he’s already received demand from American dealerships looking to sell the car. With the lower Canadian dollar he estimated that a base Micra could be purchased and imported into the U.S. for as little as $9,000 USD.

The Nissan Micra debuted at the Montreal Auto Show earlier this year, but the company announced pricing today at the 2014 Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto.

And what a price it is. The car starts at $9,998 to be the cheapest car in Canada. That’s an important distinction because Mitsubishi isn’t currently planning to market the car to its U.S. customers. Here’s what you’re missing out on: a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with just over 100 hp mated to either a five-speed manual or a CVT for an extra charge.

At the base level, the car comes with crank windows and skips air conditioning. But hey, it’s cheap.