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Daimler and Renault-Nissan strike a global partnership

Daimler today struck a wide-ranging partnership with the Renault-Nissan alliance, in a deal that will usher in new jointly developed cars, shared technologies and a multitude of cost savings.  Cars such as the new 2014 Smart Fortwo will now be twinned with the next Renault Twingo, while the Forfour is set for a comeback and we can expect plenty of shared combustion engines and electric motors, borrowed platforms and jointly developed SUV tech across all three parties. And that's only scratching the surface of the possibilities opened up by this wide-ranging deal.

New (2014) Mercedes S-Class highlights on video

The new Mercedes S Class (pictured) boasts a wealth of technology The new Mercedes S Class was launched last month as a styling evolution of the current S Class, but with a wealth of new safety and technology systems lurking under its, still familiar, skin. The S Class may be portrayed as a bit of a ‘Merchant Bankers’ car, but anyone who’s lived with one for any period of time will know there’s really nothing quite like it (well, if you ignore the mistake that was the W220 S Class), and now Mercedes has got its quality Mojo back, the W221 is once again a very special S Class, and the new W222 promises to be even more special. We know that the 2014 S Class will get a range of engines from frugal 4-cylinder to potent V12 – with engines to suit all in between – but whatever engine you choose there will be a raft of technology at your fingertips (some at extra cost depending on the model you buy), so Mercedes has been busy producing a ‘Story’ video highlighting much of the new S-Class’s tech.

Lotus Exige S Roadster arriving Summer 2013 (video)

So the revelation that the Lotus Exige S Roadster – which had an outing as a concept at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show – is finally making it in to production and will arrive in the Summer of 2013 is exactly the sort of Lotus news we want to hear. Lotus has revealed the Exige S Roadster as a reality in a short tease video (below) telling us the new Lotus will be ‘Ready for the Summer’, although by the time it gets in to the hands of customers summer will probably be already over (if it’s not already – we have had a few nice days in a row). The Exige S Roadster will get the same 345bhp 3.5 litre V6 complete with supercharger as the coupe which will be enough to get you to 62mph in just 4 seconds, and you’ll be able to row it along with either a six-speed manual or automated manual ’box plus, thanks to a very lightweight folding roof and the loss of the back spoiler, the Roadster will weigh no more than the coupe so should handle exactly how a Lotus is meant to.