Category: Automotive

Clio Owners Fail to Heed Warnings

Posted on December 29, 2022

This is the second safety information letter in less than two years being issued by Renault. The first safety information letter was sent in both April and May of 2007, this was followed by another issuing of letters in August 2008. Renault went as far as to use the DVLA to contact all the Clio owners registered on their database by recorded delivery and inform them that they were at “risk of damage to your vehicle and loss of visibility…there is potential for serious personal injury”.

Concerns from customers
The BBC programme Watchdog was the first to highlight the problem when two years ago, they received over a thousand complaints from customers that their bonnets were opening while they were …

Renault Eyes Purchasing Saab

Posted on December 24, 2022

With the misfortunes of America’s two largest automakers being trumpeted frequently on the news, it seems as if little attention is being paid to some of the other automakers out there. France’s Renault, once in poor shape itself, has rebounded nicely and is prospering with its relationship with Nissan, a company it has controlling interest in. Speculation is that Renault wants a greater piece of the luxury car market, even beyond Nissan’s luxury division, Infiniti. Would General Motors consider selling Saab to Renault or would the French automaker be better off looking elsewhere? Let’s take a look at some options for Renault.

Make a bid for Saab. It is no secret that the Swedish automaker hasn’t been much of a …

More Pressure on Renault F1 Team – ING Out As Main Sponsor

Posted on December 19, 2022

There are certain Formula One teams that come with deep pockets. Ferrari and McLaren come to mind. Other teams, however, are always a bit on edge and the Renault F1 team was just dealt a brutal blow.

Formula One is made up of three types of teams. The first one is the privateer. It is a private race team that uses engines and other components that it buys from manufacturers. The Williams team is an example. The second type of team common in Formula One is the manufacturer team. As the name suggests, this team is started, owned and run by a road car manufacturer. BMW Sauber is an example of such a team. The third type of team in …

Should Flavio Briatore Be Banned From Formula 1?

Posted on December 14, 2022

During the course of the 2009 Formula 1 season, a driver for the Renault team, Nelson Piquet, Jr, who had recently been released by the team, accused Renault team princpal Flavio Briatore of race fixing. Specifically, the dismissed Brazilian driver alleged the Briatore, and Renault engineering chier Pat Symonds, had coerced Piquet into deliberately crashing his car in the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, in order to bring out a safety car. As a result of the safety car deployment, owing to the team’s pit stop strategy, Renault’s lead driver, two-time world champ Fernando Alonso, was able to vault to the race lead. Alonso eventually won the race.

Both Briatore and Symmonds initially denied the allegations, although Pat Symmonds at the …

All About Renault – One of the Most Successful French Automobile Manufacturing Company

Posted on December 11, 2022

Renault is a French automobile manufacturing company, which was founded on February 25, 1899. The headquarters of this automobile company are situated at Boulogne-Billancourt in France. Presently Carlos Ghosn is the CEO of Renault whereas the founders were Louis Renault along with his brothers Marcel and Fernand. The design and production part of the company was managed by Louis Renault whereas his brothers used to handle company management.

The company offers cars, buses, tractors, vans as well as trucks throughout the world. In 2008, Renault has about 129,070 employees. Moreover, Renault is considered as the 4th largest automobile manufacturing company in the world.

The company has alliance with Nissan Motors and famous for offering security technologies, revolutionary design as well …

BMW Sauber Expects Good Showing At Canadian and US Grands Prix

Posted on December 7, 2022

The Canadian Grand Prix is the sixth race of the season and the race will be held on the tenth of this month. As raceday approaches, Formula One teams are already voicing out their expectations for the race which will be held at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada. One of the teams busy with preparation for the said race is the BMW Sauber contingent.

Robert Kubica, the Number 2 driver for the team, is apparently looking forward to the race and is expecting a good performance from their cars at the Canadian Grand Prix and even in the next race which is the United States Grand Prix. “Montreal and Indianapolis are low-downforce tracks,” said the Polish driver.

“Our …

5 Hot Auto Alliances and What They Do

Posted on December 4, 2022

The global auto industry is built on competition, but it also espouses collaboration. Manufacturers may prefer to do it alone, but managers know that it often takes two or more car companies to make some projects a reality. The consolidation that some believed would result in fewer manufacturers is not happening. Instead, automakers have created alliances with the goal to sharing costs, building new products and strengthening balance sheets. Let’s take a look at five hot auto alliances and what they provide to companies and consumers alike.

Renault-Nissan Alliance — The most well-known hook up is French automaker Renault with Japanese car manufacturer Nissan. In 1999, Renault bought a stake in Nissan and Nissan bought a slightly smaller stake in …

Nissan-Renault Alliance to Increase Presence in India

Posted on November 30, 2022

The alliance between Japanese Nissan and French Renault seems to be looking at a new growing market – India. With the growing auto market in the said Asian country, the partnership seems to have taken a step further than introducing the Logan in the Indian auto market. If everything goes as planned, Nissan and Renault will be developing light commercial vehicles for the Indian market as well as be part of the production of compact cars for the market.

“There is no doubt both alliance partners Nissan and Renault are very significant players in the LCV market not only because it is booming in India, but also because both Nissan and Renault have an entire line up of products in …

If The Fiat Deal Flounders, Does Chrysler Have Other Options?

Posted on November 27, 2022

The news for Chrysler the first few days of 2009 was especially bleak: despite getting three billion dollars in federal funding, the automaker would have a tough time surviving beyond the first quarter without a second injection of cash. Even though a new Congress has been seated and a new president has taken office, there isn’t any guarantee that politicians will want to help Chrysler out beyond the initial loan amount. Constituents are angry as they see private businesses and public corporations bailed out while struggling to make their own mortgage payments, hold down a job, and pay the bills.

Chrysler recently announced a strategic alliance with Fiat, a deal which could bring as many as seven Fiat and Alfa …

Renault Revamps Its Indian Presence With The Fluence

Posted on November 24, 2022

After a rather faltering start with the Logan in India, Renault has shaken off the styling stigma by launching the Renault Fluence.

Renault Fluence, available with a 2-liter petrol engine, and a 1.5 diesel engine, is a feature loaded car, though the petrol version is a lot better than its diesel counterpart. Equipped with a 6-speed VT auto transmission for the petrol variant, the Fluence is not available with manual transmission yet. The petrol variant also includes a wide range of features that include twin-zone air-conditioning, automatic headlamps, and rain sensing wipers, keyless start-stop, an on-board computer, leather seats, four airbags, and anti-whiplash headrests. Cabin quality is impressive and the plastics add a hardwearing feel to the insides. However, the …