The source of Auto news,spyshots,rumor,Auto show news
February 24th, 2008 — Renault, nissan
TOKYO (AFP) — Nissan Motors and French partner Renault have signed an agreement confirming their plan to build a new plant near Chennai in India, the Japanese carmaker said Friday.
The two firms signed a memorandum of agreement with the state government of Tamil Nadu committing them to investing at least 1.14 billion dollars over seven years in the 50:50 joint venture.
February 17th, 2008 — Bajaj, Renault, nissan
NEW DELHI: Two-wheeler major Bajaj Auto, which plans to develop a low-cost small car in partnership with Renault-Nissan, is expected to announce the final details of the project in a “few weeks”.
The small car project, which has been widely seen as an effort to rival Tata’s Rs one lakh Nano, was earlier pursued by only Bajaj Auto Ltd (BAL) and Renault and later joined by Nissan, in which the French firm has 44.4% stake. Asked by when a final decision on the project details was expected, BAL managing director Rajiv Bajaj said: “In a few weeks”.
Continue reading →
January 21st, 2008 — Renault, nissan
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The Renault-Nissan alliance on Monday signed a deal to begin mass producing electric cars as part of an Israeli-led project to develop alternative energy sources and slash oil dependency.
Renault-Nissan Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn said the cars, with a range of about 100 km in city driving and up to 160 km on the highway, will accelerate from zero to 100 kph in 13 seconds and have a top speed of 110 kph — similar to many gasoline-powered cars.
Ghosn said a key reason why the company chose Israel to launch the project is because 90 percent of Israelis drive less than 70 km a day and all major urban centers are within 150 km of each other. For Israel the cars would mean less dependency on oil imports, mostly coming from Russia.
The cars, to be made in Europe, will run on a battery developed by Nissan and Japan’s NEC and will be available in 2011. A prototype is already on the road in Israel and various models will be sold by Renault and Nissan.
“It will be the most environmentally friendly mass-produced car on the market,” Ghosn said at a Fuel Free Transportation ceremony at the office of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, adding the main appeal of the cars is that they were as “normal as possible” while operating quietly.
He said the car would cost the same or less than comparable gasoline engine autos and would have a lifetime warranty.
Ghosn said Renault-Nissan will also market the cars in yet to be determined European countries and Asia and later to the United States.
“We expect this car to be successful,” Ghosn told reporters. “We want to make sure we mass market 10,000 to 20,000 cars a year in Israel … We are determined to make it a success.”
January 8th, 2008 — Bajaj, Renault, nissan
It’s the biggest auto show ever showcased in India. But the Ninth Auto Expo 2008, scheduled to open to the public on January 10 at New Delhi’s Pragati Maidan, is really two shows, not one.
Show One – the show – is the launch of the much ballyhooed Rs 1 lakh Tata small car on Thursday. Everyone, from the public to competitors, is waiting with bated breath for the curtains to go up on that car.
Which is why the rest of the crowd is planning Show Zero – the show before the show - well before the Expo formally opens. To avoid being overshadowed by the Tata car, automobile manufacturers are scheduling their announcements for January 8-9.
all begins with Bajaj Auto’s small car on Tuesday, followed by General Motors, Volkswagen, Fiat (Tata’s joint venture partner), Maruti, Volvo Cars and the rest.To be unveiled by Rajiv Bajaj, managing director of Bajaj Auto, this small car has been planned as a joint venture with Renault and Nissan. If everything goes according to plan, the car will hit the roads in 2010.
January 2nd, 2008 — Bajaj, Renault, nissan
Vehicle manufacturers Bajaj Auto of India and Renault-Nissan are likely to take a final decision on jointly developing a low-cost car by the end of January 2008, reported The Economic Times.
December 8th, 2007 — Renault, lada, nissan
Renault SA, France’s second-largest automaker, agreed to buy 25 percent of Russia’s OAO AvtoVAZ, fending off a bid from General Motors Corp.
Renault will purchase the stake in Russia’s No. 1 car company from state-owned arms exporter Rosoboronexport, Valery Kartavtsev, a spokesman for the defense firm, said today by telephone. He declined to give a price.
“AvtoVAZ would have given GM some extra capacity — and will give Renault some extra capacity — in one of the hottest markets in the world,” said Erich Merkle, an analyst at IRN Inc. in Grand Rapids, Michigan. “It’s a bit of a gain for Renault.”
December 3rd, 2007 — Bajaj, Renault, nissan
Mumbai: Bajaj Auto is quietly finalising plans to have its concept car on display at the Delhi Auto Expo from January 10 to 17.
Top sources told DNA Money that this vehicle could see further technological developments, once the three-way joint venture between Bajaj, Renault and Nissan gets under way.
“There may not be any major changes in design and what will be shown at the Expo will be more or less the final product,” they added.
The car, with a price tag of $3000 (Rs 1.2 lakh), is scheduled to debut in 2010.
There is absolutely no indication of what the concept looks like, though speculation is rife that it has a ‘tall boy’ image on the lines of Hyundai Santro.
Of course, the biggest draw will be the Tatas’ Rs 1 lakh car, which is due to hit the market by the second half of 2008-09.
It is believed to resemble the Mercedes Smart, and sources say that, in terms of styling and design, it will be a complete winner.
The car was initially planned only with a 624cc (rear) petrol engine but an 800cc diesel has since been included.
There will be both gearless and manual transmission options and it only remains to be seen if the company can keep the price pegged at Rs 1 lakh (ex-showroom).
Sources say that this is possible for the basic petrol version, which will be devoid of air-conditioning and will be a no-frills car.
Tata Motors is likely to have a mid-and top-end version for the petrol and diesel options.
November 20th, 2007 — Renault
Specification
LenghtxWightxHeight = 4,520×1,855×1,695-1,710 mm.
Wheelbase = 2,690 mm.
Engine = 2.0 dci and 2.5 litre gasoline
November 20th, 2007 — Renault
Renault Samsung Motors, the South Korean unit of France’s Renault SA, Monday unveiled the “QM5,’’ the automaker’s first sport utility vehicle (SUV) in an effort to boost domestic sales.
Company officials said that the mini SUV would be introduced the South Korean market from early December. It is also set to go on sale globally from next month, according to the officials.
The QM5 is the first SUV model of Renault Samsung, ranked fourth place in the country’s automobile industry. It has so far sold only small-, mid- and large-sized sedans, each named as the “SM3,’’ “SM5’’ and “SM7,’’ in South Korea.
Equipped with a two-liter diesel engine outsourced from Renault, the vehicle boasts of a maximum 173hp, which is pretty good for such a modest displacement. A gasoline version QM5 with a 2.5-liter engine will be introduced early next year.
November 18th, 2007 — Renault
PARIS -(Dow Jones)- Renault SA (13190.FR) plans to start building a crossover version of its no-frills Logan model starting in 2009, Chief Financial Officer Thierry Moulonguet said Friday.
Five derivatives of the fast-selling Logan are either already in production or have been announced. Renault Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn had promised to launch a total of six different body shapes based on the Logan platform through 2009, but the style of the sixth and final variant has not been disclosed up until now.
