Finding and talking to people at the TED Global conference is not hard- we even carry on our giant name tags suggested topics for ‘ice-breaking’ conversations. Finding and talking to someone you really want to at a particular time is harder; a lot harder…

The DeZir concept stands out as an illustration of Renault’s commitment to more emotional styling. The creative thinking behind the design of the front end was aimed at recalling Renault's styling heritage, while at the same time paving the way for the design trends of the brand's forthcoming models.

DeZir is the first project led by Laurens van den Acker and is the start of a sequence of concept cars that will provide an insight into Renault Design's new vision for the future. It also lays the foundations for the styling cues of Renault's forthcoming vehicles. The front-end design previews the new front-end identity that is poised to become a feature of all Renault models in the future.

On Tuesday, Carlos Ghosn spoke at the Detroit Economic Club. In a moderated Q&A with Dan Howes from The Detroit News, Ghosn covered three broad themes: the consolidation trends driving the industry, the shift towards sustainable (zero emission) mobility and the opportunities presented by emerging markets.

On consolidation, Ghosn spoke about the major forces that are creating the next wave of tie-ups among the automakers. First, if manufacturers are to develop the vast and complex range of technologies that are required to be legally compliant (emission regulations etc) and be appealing to consumers, footing that investment bill across the largest scale will inevitably drive competitiveness.

What is the Renault Nissan-Alliance? Why has it proved to be the most enduring and successful of any partnerships within the auto industry?  Where will it be at the end of this decade? Until now we haven't really shouted about the Alliance’s successes – successes achieved when similar automotive partnerships have failed.