Polaris Gen 2 Sportech Headlight Cover Black 50127010 on 2040-parts.com

Official: Renault & Caterham to build Alpine sports cars

Renault has confirmed it is to partner with Caterham to build a range of Alpine sports cars in Dieppe from 2015. The partnership between Renault and Caterham is a logical extension of their F1 partnership but now, with the joint venture to produce their own sports cars, goes much deeper than the almost badge-engineering Williams Renaults. A new company - Société des Automobiles Alpine Caterham – will be jointly owned by Caterham and Renault and will develop models in small and large volumes to be marketed as both Renault Alpine and Caterham, and will be built in Renault’s Dieppe factory that currently churns out Renaultsport models for the road and track, and is the historical home of Alpine.

Porsche mulls smaller SUV, sports car

Porsche may develop a small SUV and a sports car smaller than the Boxster as it aims to double worldwide sales in the next three years. Bernhard Maier, head of sales and marketing at Porsche AG, confirmed that the company is looking into smaller and less expensive models “but we have taken no decision so far.” The small SUV has been code-named “Cajun”--short for Cayenne Jr. The success of the Cayenne SUV has given Porsche confidence to “investigate if there are other opportunities,” Maier said.

Mercedes ESF 2009 Concept

The Mercedes ESF 2009 Concept showcases a raft of new safety technology So Mercedes has unveiled the Mercedes ESF 2009 Concept, which is a test-bed to showcase the latest technology Mercedes sees as on its way to mainstream. Mercedes has based the ESF Concept on the latest addition to the Mercedes S-Class Range – the S400 Hybrid – and has packed it to the rafters with airbags. There’s one that pops up between front seat passengers; airbags actually in the seatbelts and one great big airbag under the car that inflates if a crash is imminent.