USA: New York MTA has ordered a further 382 R160 metro cars from the ALSKAW joint venture of Alstom and Kawasaki. The $784m order announced on November 10 is a second option on a July 2002 contract for 660 cars worth $961·6m, which was followed with a $1·12bn option for a further 620 cars in July 2007.

Alstom said its share of the latest option is worth $491m, and covers the production of 242 cars for delivery in 2009-10. The stainless steel body shells will be produced at the company's Lapa plant at São Paulo in Brazil, with final assembly and testing in Hornell.

Alstom will also supply propulsion systems for half of the 140 similar cars to be built by Kawasaki under its share of the contract.