RENAULT says it will be 'months' before it finds out if there are to be closer links forged between its UK dealerships and Nissan's. Louis Schweitzer, Renault chairman, has revealed plans to reduce the number of dealerships in both brands and integrate back-office functions of the remainder as part of a restructuring process.

He stressed the brands would be kept separate. A spokesman for Renault, which owns a 36.8% stake in Nissan, said: 'We will have to wait some months to find out how the UK will be affected.'