Renault-Nissan Alliance Strengthens Industrial Base in China
In a major milestone for the Renault-Nissan Alliance, Renault and Dongfeng Motors signed a contract for the creation of a joint venture company in China, the largest auto market in the world. The two companies will invest 7.76 billion CNY (€870million) in the 50-50 joint venture: Dongfeng Renault Automotive Company.
The joint venture will establish a manufacturing plant in Wuhan with production capacity of 150,000 vehicles per year, with potential to double that figure in the future. Sales will begin in 2016. Dongfeng has been Nissan's joint venture partner in China since 2003. As a result of this partnership, Nissan is today the largest Japanese automaker in China, with more than 1.2 million vehicles sold in 2012.
F1: Renault Sport F1 Gives Victorious Send Off To RS27 V8 Engine in Brazil
Last weekend, Renault Sport F1, the F1 division of Renault, consolidated its record as F1's most successful V8 engine manufacturer. Sebastian Vettel's win in the Brazilian Grand Prix took its tally of wins to 60 with over 40% of the wins in the 8-year period.
Over this period, the V8 engine developed by 250 engineers at Renault Sport F1’s headquarters in Viry-Châtillon has won 5 Constructors’ Titles with two partners, Infiniti Red Bull Racing (2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013) and Renault F1 Team (2006).
Renault Showcases Its Progress In Autonomous ‘Valet’ Technology: UMAP
Imagine a future when you could simply make an online reservation for a vehicle whenever you needed one and it would drive itself to your designated pick-up point from the car park. You then authenticate your reservation by tapping a prepaid contactless card over a sensor located beneath the driver’s side windscreen, and drive off. Thereafter, you simply leave the vehicle at a designated drop-off point and it would drive itself back to the car park after use. What’s more, it does all of these while detecting and avoiding road obstructions and pedestrians autonomously.
Renault is intensively testing this very scenario with its Urban Mobility Advanced Platform (UMAP) at Renault’s Technocentre with the Renault Fluence Z.E. Furthermore, there would not be any need to worry about refuelling, as this electric Fluence Z.E. can even wirelessly recharge itself at the car park.