A year after talks ended with GM, Nissan CEO, Carlos Ghosn, is still looking for a North American partner for the Renault-Nissan alliance. At a press conference held by Japanese newspaper Nikkei, Ghosn said that “if I have the opportunity to make it happen, I will do it.”

Ghosn told the press that the Renault-Nissan alliance is the only alliance in the automotive industry that works. “…when something works, you have a tendency to want to expand it.”

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Renault has revealed its Kangoo Compact Concept that it will show at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show starting tomorrow. Renault hopes to target young buyers who are looking for a compact car to fit their lifestyle. If you ask us, the car looks like a boxier Smart ForTwo that can hold three passengers.

The Renault Kangoo Compact Concept has a two-tone color theme with Fireball Orange and Brushed Aluminium. The car which was built in partnership with Rollerblade, has a ”roller-skating theme”  with a rugged all-terrain look, chunky 19-inch aluminium wheels with five blue-tinged translucent spokes.

Kangoo Compact Concept is powered by a 1.5 dCi 105 engine that produces 105 horsepower, giving it the ability to go from 0-62 mph in 11.5 seconds.

Click through for the press release and images.

Renault Kangoo Compact Concept Gallery:

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According to our friends over at CarMagazine, Renault is getting ready to launch a new coupe concept at Frankfurt in September. While Renault isn’t releasing any details on the car until Frankfurt, CarMagazine managed to grab a quick teaser shot at the launch of the Laguna coupe.

The car will make its concept form debut at the Geneva Motor Show in 2008 with the production version due out at the Paris Motor Show next autumn. The car will be influence by the Fluence Concept that Renault revealed in 2004. It will feature a teardrop-shaped rear with a pinched bootlid.

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The Renault Wind concepts production version, which was originally scheduled for a 2010 release, is set to debut in 2009. According to company insiders, the project is being moved up on the company’s to-do-list.

The Renault Wind concept, which was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in 2004, had an inline-4 engine that produced 136 horsepower with 141 lb-ft of torque. A higher-performance engine may find its way under the hood in the production version since Renault hopes to compete with the Mazda Miata.

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According to business daily Dagens Industri, Renault and Swedish truck maker AB Volvo are interested in purchasing the Volvo Group from Ford. AB Volvo orginally sold its auto unit to Ford in 1999. The report said that if Renault and AB Volvo end buying the Volvo Group from Ford, AB Volvo will hold a small share of 10 to 20 percent.

“This looks like a bad solution for Volvo’s shareholders as there is no real industrial logic in buying a stake (in Volvo Cars) … I think it would be very strange if they would take such a step”, Danske Equities analyst Henrik Breum told Reuters.

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To meet consumer demand, Renault is launching a new sportier version of the Clio Renault Sport called the Clio Renault Sport Luxe. Performance wise the car is based on the Clip Renault Sport but gets some aggressive sporty design including 17-inch Be Bop diamond wheels and chrome external finishes. The Clio Renault Sport Luxe is set to hit France and Italy in May of 2007. Click through for more images and the press release

Clio Renault Sport Luxe Gallery:

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After showing the outstanding (a bit unrealistic) Twingo concept, Renault today showed off the Koleos Concept at the Paris Motor Show. The Renault Koleos Concept is a sneak peak of the all-wheel drive SUV Renault will launch in 2008. The car was produced with Nissan and has a 2.0 dCi common rail turbo diesel engine with a six-speed manual transmission producing 180 horsepower. The car also features a panoramic glass roof, a navigation system, ETC (electronic traction control) and LED backlighting.

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Renault today at the Paris Motor Show showed off the new Twingo Concept which replaces the current Panda car. The Renault Twingo Concept is a three door hatchback and is powered by a 1.2 liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine that produces a total of 100 horsepower. On the exterior the car features frameless windows and a panoramic glass roof. The interior features 4 bucket seats and a center console with a TV, computer and a USB port. The Renault Twingo Concept also has a iPod docking station along with 8 refrigerated cup holders.

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Renault today unveiled a unique four seater cabriolet, the Nepta concept car. The Renault Nepta concept car has a pair of motor driven doors that open in a gull wing style. The Nepta is equipped with a seven speed automatic 3.5 liter V6 engine that pushes 420 horsepower. That engine gives the Renault Nepta the ability to do 0-60 in 4.9 seconds. The car has a carbon bodywork, LED headlights and taillights, digital and analog instrument, DVD screens and advanced air turbulence deflectors. Of course, the car will be on display at the Paris Motor Show later this month.

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