20% stake in the Swedish group. The future of Renault Trucks is assured. 12 March 2001 – Renault and Nissan draw-up plans to set up a global joint purchasing unit, called Renault Nissan Purchasing Organisation 27 March 2001 – Laguna II becomes the first car ever to be awarded five starts in the Euro NCAP crash tests 30 October 2001 – Renault increases its equity stake in Nissan to 44,4%, and Nissan takes a 15% stake in Renault. The Renault-Nissan Alliance Board is created. 20 December 2001 – Renault and Nissan inaugurate their first joint plant, used to assemble LCVs in Curitiba, Brazil. 28 June 2002 – Renault and Nissan set up Renault Nissan Information Services, the second joint venture under the Alliance. 22 October 2002 – Production of the Trafic panel van starts at Nissan's plant in Barcelona, making Renault and Nissan's first joint production project in Europe. 19 November 2002 – Renault Mégane is named Car of the year 2003. 23 January 2003 – The Renault Production Way (SPR) is launched with the aim of ensuring that the Group's industrial system performs in line with the best in the world. 24 February 2003 – Claas becomes the majority partner in Renault Agriculture by acquiring a 51% stake. (It later purchased the remaining 49%.) 26 February 2003 – Renault invests €230 million in the production and marketing of its future X90 vehicle in Russia. 28 July 2003 – Renault takes control of its SOMACA subsidiary, previously controlled by the Moroccan government, to make the X90 in Morocco. 16 March 2004 – Renault lays the foundations for expansion in Iran by setting up Renault Pars. September 2004 – Dacia Logan - the €5,000 car goes on sale February 2005 – Renault announces record sales and financial results. 22 February 2005 – Renault signs an agreement with Mahindra & Mahindra to produce Logan in India. 6 April 2005 – The Avtoframos plant in Moscow is inaugurated. 29 April 2005 – Carlos Ghosn takes over from Louis Schweitzer as president of Renault. Notes and references 1942 births Living people Businesspeople from Geneva Sciences Po alumni École nationale d'administration alumni Renault people BNP Paribas people Volvo people AstraZeneca people Swiss chief executives Chief operating officers Chief financial officers Grand Croix of the Légion d'honneur Grand Officers of the Ordre national du Mérite