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News watch June 2012: today's auto industry news

Welcome to CAR Magazine's news aggregator as we round up the daily stories in the auto industry. Top tip: news summaries are added from the top hour-by-hour Friday 29 June 2012• As predicted, BMW and Toyota today announced the next stage of their cooperation to jointly develop powertrains, lightweight technologies, fuel-cells and future platforms (BMW and Toyota)• Today's announcement follows the initial agreement signed in December 2011; in March 2012, BMW and Toyota signed a binding agreement to work together on lithium-ion battery research and for Munich to supply Toyota with diesel engines from 2014 • Now Toyota and BMW have signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate on the electrification of car powertrains, research into lightweight technologies, develop fuel-cells and to consider future vehicle architectures – 'for a sports car, for example'• Renault will cut 300 jobs at its Flins plant near Paris, it announced today. The factory builds the Clio and is preparing for the new Zoe ZE too (Automotive News Europe)• Ford has warned its pre-tax operating profit in the second quarter will be 'substantially lower' than before.

Aston Martin Cygnet & Colette (2011) first official pictures

Aston Martin have teamed up with French fashion retailer Colette to produce the Aston Martin Cygnet & Colette. It's a 14 unit limited edition produced through the Aston Martin Works Tailored customisation programme, and available through Colette's Paris store. Aston Martin Cygnet & Colette: the fashionista's Aston Martin Colette (it's supposed to be lower-case, like Audi's spelling of Quattro) stylists have left the unfashionable mechanical parts alone and concentrated on the colour and trim selection on the Cygnet. Outside, the Cygnet gets 'Colette blue' highlights over silver paint, including what Aston Martin refers to as 'Colette blue grille lipstick and body stripe'. You'll unlock your Cygnet & Colette with a custom enameled aluminium key, and keep it pristine when parked under its bespoke car cover.Inside, it's 'bitter chocolate' leather and quilted alcantara trim with Colette blue contrast stitching, and decorative cushions- I'm sorry...

Alfa Romeo to launch 8 new cars in next 4 years – Alfa MiTo to be dropped

The Alfa Romeo Gloria (pictured) could point to a new Giulia Alfa Romeo has been stuck in the doldrums for quite a while, and is now in the sorry state of having just two cars on sale – the Alfa MiTo and Alfa Giulietta – both compact cars and both with front wheel drive. Not really Alfas, although they’re better than you might expect. But in a brave plan to turn Alfa Romeo in to a proper force again – a plan we reported was on the cards a year ago – Sergio Marchionne has revealed that Alfa is planning to launch eight new cars in the next four years and concentrate on proper RWD cars with proper driver appeal.