Behind the scenes, Renault was, and is, said to be in discussions over the sale of the French State's tranche of the company. Will Nissan Motor be allowed to buy it? Will Groupe Renault and its larger Japanese partner finally merge? This could yet become one of the bigger industry stories of 2018 although given what has already taken place in regard to Li Shufu and Daimler, who knows what else might eventuate before the year is out?