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Renault-Nissan and Mercedes get very cosy

The Mercedes Twingo? Almost, but not quite In yet another – highly expected – sign that the future for car makers is more and more co-operation, Renault-Nissan and Daimler (Mercedes-Benz) have today announced a wide-ranging alliance which will see much of the output of each company utilised by the other. Top of the list for starters is the joint development of the platform for the next SmartForTwo which will be shared by the next generation Twingo.

Kia scoops three design awards

Kia has won three design awards in this year's Automotive Brand Contest, continuing its strong showing in last year's competition. The second-generation cee'd, launched in June, topped the exterior category table as well as receiving an honorary special mention for exceptional innovation in the interior category. The car's exterior features a chrome-framed glasshouse and muscular lines on the bonnet, while inside an ergonomic, driver-oriented control panel impressed the judges enough to receive the special mention.

New Jaguar XF R-Sport is the start of more R-Sport models from Jaguar

The Jaguar XF R-Sport (pictured) adds sport looks to the saloon and Sportbrake The big news from Jaguar for the 2014 Geneva Motor Show is the arrival of a barnstorming XF Estate – the Jaguar XFR-S Sportbrake – with its 542bhp supercharged V8. But also heading for Geneva is a more lowly XF that might not grab the headlines but will probably do more for Jaguar’s bottom line than the XFR-S – the new Jaguar XF R-Sport. Available as an XF saloon or XF Sportbrake, the XF R-Sport is Jaguar’s take on stuff like BMW M Sport and Mercedes AMG Line (but without any power or suspension tweaks) and is aimed at owners and drivers who want the sporty looks of cars like the XFR but want it powered by something more prosaic.