Paris 2010: Renault Dezir concept is wild, twisted beauty

Don't let anyone tell you that Renault can't do a concept car. The French manufacturer pulled the sheets back on its all-electric Dezir at this year's Paris Motor Show, and the concept is as sexy as it is absurd. Designers took a stab in an all-new direction with a pair of reverse-hinged butterfly doors that are the epitome of awesome. Likewise, the ultra-wide stance and aluminum sideblades are our kind of flashy. As you might expect, this concept makes use of a fittingly-futuristic powertrain. Renault says that under all of that curvy sheet metal there's a full EV drivetrain on hand.

Surprisingly enough, there isn't supercar-rivaling power on hand, though. The company puts the Dezir final horsepower figure at around 150 ponies and 166 pound-feet of torque – not exactly e-tron rivaling numbers. Even so, the concept is said to be able to dart to around 60 mph in just shy of five seconds.

Paris 2010: Renault 2011 Fluence Z.E. now available for pre-order

Let the flood gates open wide and the deposits pour in, Renault is officially accepting pre-orders for it 2011 battery-powered Fluence Z.E. Yep, it's another momentous day for the Renault-Nissan Alliance and it just so happens that the automaker choose the grounds of the Paris Motor Show to announce that its electric sedan is ready to roll. Well, almost. Buyers in France, Israel and Denmark will get first crack at piloting their own Fluences by the middle of next year, but first they'll need to place a pre-order ASAP.

Customers who wish to take ownership of the Fluence Z.E. are asked to register at Renault's website and put down a €100 deposit ($137 U.S. at the current exchange rate). Priced at €21,300 ($29,279 U.S.), the Fluence Z.E. might seem like a raging value, but let's not forget that Renault has decided to lease the battery pack separate of the vehicle. Add in another €79 ($109 U.S.) in monthly battery lease fees and what was once a killer deal no longer seems like quite as much of a bargain. However, the Fluence's sticker price still does far less damage to the checkbook than its European competitors like the Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi i-MiEV, so we'd expect the electrified Fluence won't have any trouble finding eager buyers.

Paris 2010: Renault Latitude ready to carry the flag for French automaker

Earlier this year, the 2011 Renault Latitude was unveiled at the Moscow International Auto Show. The European version has now made its debut in front of the crowd at the Paris Motor Show. The Latitude is considered a business-class saloon and Renault is positioning it to become the automaker's flagship vehicle.

The styling of the Renault Latitude somehow evokes images of the Chyrsler Sebring, new Volkswagen Jetta and any Lexus vehicle – yet it's done in a stylish manner. When it launches in Russia, the Latitude will be available with either a 139-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with a CVT or a 2.5-liter V6 mated to a six-speed automatic that's good for 177 hp. The four-cylinder unit is rated at 34 miles per gallon while the V6 gets just under 30 mpg. As the car expands into other markets, it will feature an expanding lineup of engine and gearbox choices.

Inside, the Renault Latitude is all about comfort. The power-adjustable driver's seat features a massaging function with five pneumatic rollers and four different settings. In order to keep everyone else happy, the Latitude has a climate control system with triple-zone adjustability.

The 2011 Renault Latitude hit dealer showrooms in September 2010, in Morocco and Algeria. It then starts popping up in Russia and the Ukraine before being made available throughout Africa. The European model will follow after that.

Paris 2010: Renault Twizy charges the stage

Believe it or not, Renault says the car you see above, known – seriously, we're not making this stuff up – as the Twizy, is a production vehicle. We hesitate to call it a car, or a motorcycle, or a scooter... it's really sort of a four-wheeled covered scooter, and it's powered by an electric drivetrain.

There will apparently be two different versions of the Twizy available, one sporting nine horsepower that can hit a top speed of 28 miles per hour and one with 20 horses that can hit 47 mph. A three-and-a-half-hour charge will result in 60 miles of range from the onboard lithium ion battery pack.

Renault is currently taking pre-orders on the Twizy, along with two other electric vehicles, and it will have the vehicle on the market in Europe by the end of 2011. Pricing is expected to be similar to the Piaggio MP3, and the rental charges for the battery pack will be covered in the Twizy's payment.

Daimler, Renault-Nissan alliance could be announced Wednesday

According to an unnamed source, the Renault board of directors has called an extraordinary meeting on Tuesday, April 6th, to discuss plans to enter into an agreement with German automaker Daimler. As was the case when Renault teamed up with Japanese automaker Nissan, there will reportedly be an exchange of stock, but not nearly at the same level as Renault's 44-percent stake in Nissan.

If the board chooses to move forward – and all indications are that it will – an announcement could be made as early as Wednesday detailing the partnership. It's widely thought that Daimler is keenly interested in Renault's small car expertise for its less-than-wildly-successful Smart car division, and it seems increasingly likely that the two automakers could jointly develop new city car platforms. Might a more family-friendly ForFour be in the offing as rumored?