Renault is holding a special board meeting today following an audit report of its handling of industrial espionage claims, now discredited.

The French carmaker has been criticised for "serious dysfunctions" within its management, after it fired three senior executives earlier this year for suspected leaks of technological secrets.

Those executives have since been completely exhonorated, and the French Government, which owns 15% of Renault, has been left embarrassed by the events.

Renault has apologised to the three executives and has offered to reinstate them.

A French newspaper yesterday suggested that four Renault board members may resign at today's meeting.