Renault-Nissan alliance raises savings goal

PARIS (Reuters) - The Renault-Nissan alliance announced plans on Thursday to accelerate integration between the carmakers, increasing targeted savings from shared technology and resources.

Cooperation between Renault and 43.4 percent-owned Nissan <7201.T> will save at least 4.3 billion euros (3.5 billion pounds) in 2016, the companies said in a statement.

That compares with a previous target of 4 billion euros pledged for the same year in 2012, when alliance savings came to 2.7 billion.

Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn also appointed executives to lead efforts to converge manufacturing, research and development and human resources between the alliance partners, according to the statement.

(Reporting by Laurence Frost; Editing by James Regan)