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Who's Where: Alfonso Albaisa appointed Vice President of Nissan Design Europe

Alfonso Albaisa has been appointed vice president of Nissan Design Europe (NDE) located in Paddington, London, effective April 1, 2007. Albaisa replaces Satoru Tai, who will return to Japan. In his new role, the 42-year-old Cuban-American will head a team of more than 50 international designers, modelers and support staff.

Renault Alpine A110-50 at Monaco? Possibly, but surely this isn’t it.

Is this a new Renault Alpine (left), or a Photoshopped Renault DeZir (right)? The rumour mill says Renault will revive Alpine with a tribute to the A110 – the Alpine A110-50. But the photo doing the rounds surely isn’t it.

Smart Forspeed concept signals new design direction

Smart will unveil a new concept at the forthcoming Geneva motor show that signals a new design direction, hints at future product and confirms parent company Daimler's renewed commitment to the brand. Car Design News was granted early access to the concept, baptized Forspeed, at a secret photography studio in Stuttgart last week and heard the head of advanced design, Steffen Kohl, explain how the two-seat, electric-powered vehicle prefaces design themes in both the next Fortwo and the revived Forfour, which will be launched in 2014. "The fullness of this concept's exterior surfaces is important and will be reflected in future production models," said Kohl, "Smart will still be short, spacey, agile, and with wheels at the corners of the car, but with an added sporty and emotional design and without losing all the brand's iconic elements like its ‘plastic fantastic' aspect and the safe and hi-tech modular tridion shell assembled with all these changeable body parts.