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Renault and Caterham to co-build Alpine sports cars

Renault and Caterham are to join forces and build a new range of sports car models together from early 2013, under the classic Alpine badge, Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn confirmed today. At a press conference in Paris, he announced a new Anglo-French partnership which will spawn a new breed of sports cars for both brands. 'This innovative partnership with Caterham embodies a longstanding ambition: the creation of a sports car with the Alpine DNA,' said Ghosn.

Saab 9-3 ePower electric car at 2010 Paris show

Saab will showcase its electric car ambitions at the 2010 Paris motor show with the new 9-3 ePower. Look out for this badge on future Saabs – it’s the next step from the existing E85 biofueled BioPower models. The 9-3 ePower is a technical testbed vehicle rather than anything you can go and buy, but the Swedes aim to have an electric car to market in the next few years.

Ford improves simulators to help driver safety

Today's cars are loaded to the hilt with technology. Given modern vehicles' built-in opportunities for driver distraction, not to mention society's penchant for mobile-device use while motoring, it's a wonder we get home safely at all. To that end, Ford has upgraded its Virttex virtual-reality machine to study driver performance in the pursuit of safety devices and driver-aid development.