Italian carmaker De Tomaso has been sold to a Chinese business consortium for $1.8 million.

Since going bankrupt in 2012, the creator of the Pantera and Mangusta sports cars has been seeking a savior. A rumor was then floated that BMW might have been interested in purchasing De Tomaso, but that deal never materialized.

As recently as six weeks ago, Auto Motor und Sport reported that L3, a Swiss holding company, would be purchasing De Tomaso for $2.1 million, but the deal apparently fell through due to L3 not being able to uphold its end of the deal. Now it appears China’s Ideal Team Ventures consortiums, once outbid by L3, will acquire the brand, according to Italian media.

Ideal Team Ventures plans to apply De Tomaso branding to cars being built in China, although the type of car has not been announced.

De Tomaso was founded in 1959 and is most known for its Ford-powered mid-engined sports car known as the Pantera. It also owned Maserati from 1976-93, a stint during which it produced the BiTurbo and Chrysler TC.

Finally, in 2009 the company was bought by an Italian investor Gian Mario Rossignolo, who recreated the brand to produce a five-door crossover called the Deauville but it failed to launch. Rossignolo and two associates were arrested after being found guilty of defrauding the Italian government of $9.1 million.

In the latest round of The Automotive Bachelor, CEO of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Sergio Marchionne says he would be receptive to a partnership with Apple or Google.

After being rebuffed by both General Motors and Ford, who flat out said they were “no interested,” Marchionne said he was open to a partnership with a prominent player in the tech industry, reports Bloomberg.

While addressing analysts on Wednesday, Marchionne even dropped a few of Silicon Valley’s favorite buzzwords in the case he made to analysts: “I’ve always been intrigued by the notion of having technology disruptors show up in the marketplace and change the paradigm.”

However, he also offered a warning: “If they show up and they are truly successful, with their cash piles and know-how, they could fundamentally hurt this industry,” but said that “I think we should encourage that dialogue anyway.”

Neither Apple nor Google has commented on the idea. Meanwhile, both tech companies have been working on cars of their own, with the former’s launching possibly as early as 2020.

FCA and Apple already have a link-up, albeit indirectly. Fiat cars use Beats Electronics audio gear, a company that was purchased by Apple in May 2014 for $3.2 billion.

Jaguar is in the final stages of developing the controversial F-Pace, its first-ever crossover, and a new report finds the automaker has decided to launch two additional off-roaders by the year 2020.
The British automaker will take on the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class (which will replace the GL-Class in the next few years) and the BMW X7 with a full-size seven-seater crossover tentatively called J-Pace. The J-Pace will ride on the same aluminum-intensive platform as the Land Rover Range Rover but it will feature a much sportier silhouette. Like Land Rover, Jaguar will off both short- and long-wheelbase variants of its full-size model.

The J-Pace will be available with six- and eight-cylinder gasoline-burning engines, and buyers in Europe will most likely have access to at least one turbodiesel unit. Automobile Magazine reports Jaguar will also launch a plug-in hybrid model aimed largely at the Chinese market – where gasoline-electric drivetrains are expected to become mandatory – and a sport-focused version tuned by SVR.

At the other end of the spectrum, Jaguar will introduce an entry-level crossover called E-Pace that will most likely share its platform with the Evoque and the new Discovery Sport. Executives are still debating what form the E-Pace will take – some believe it should take on the BMW X3 and the upcoming Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class, while others think it should be a smaller model aimed right at the BMW X1 and the Mercedes GLA.

If the rumors materialize, the J-Pace will be introduced in 2019 and the E-Pace will follow shortly after.

Note: Jaguar C-X17 concept pictured

Renault’s Latin American division has published a teaser video that previews a hot-rodded version of the Sandero, a compact entry-level hatchback sold as a Dacia throughout most of Europe.
Called Sandero RS, the hot hatch gains a deep front bumper with a Formula 1-inspired blade (a styling cue that it shares with most current members of the Renault Sport lineup), side skirts on both ends and a roof-mounted spoiler. The RS further stands out from the no-frills regular Sandero thanks to a model-specific radiator grille with a small “RS” emblem and multi-spoke alloy wheels.

Renault is keeping its lips tightly sealed so official technical details are not available, but WorldCarFans reports the Sandero RS will be powered by a naturally-aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine borrowed from the Duster crossover. In the off-roader, the four-banger is tuned to generate about 140 horsepower.

The RS sits lower than a stock Sandero, hinting that Renault Sport has thoroughly tweaked the suspension. Bigger brakes are also part of the package.

Stay tuned, Renault is expected to fully unveil the Sandero RS in the next couple of days. The hot hatch will go on sale in select Latin American countries before the end of the year but at the time of writing Renault is not planning on adding it to its lineup in Europe.