Average new car CO2 emissions fell by their biggest ever margin last year with the impact of recession and the Scrappage Incentive Scheme boosting the continued influence of technological advances made by vehicle manufacturers, according to the annual New Car CO2 Report released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

About 2,000 manufacturing jobs in the West Midlands have been safeguarded by production of the new Jaguar XJ, a car industry advisory group has said.

Toyota will today hit back at one of its most high-profile critics by staging a technical demonstration intended to rebut his claim to have uncovered a potentially dangerous flaw in the carmaker’s onboard electronic control systems.

Amidst the thousands of cars on display at the Geneva motor show there is one that stands out, if not for its looks than for its importance for the company that makes it. For the first time since 2003, BMW has redesigned its 5-series executive model range.

The single-model display at the Geneva motor show by electric motoring pioneer Tesla is swamped this year by a seemingly endless string of rival sportscar companies launching electric vehicles of their own.

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Let’s keep things simple: this is the best, most interesting, most dynamic and most important motor show that I can remember. And I can remember a few. The Geneva show opened last week and runs until next Sunday, and if you have a passion for cars and an interest in where we will be going over the next five years, you could do a lot worse than travel to Switzerland and wander around the vast exhibition centre.

With less than four weeks to go to the end of "scrappage" — the Government's subsidy scheme to save the motor retail industry — the question now is: what happens after the end of March.

I am often asked what the difference is between science and engineering. Nobel laureate and former president of the Royal Society, Lord Porter, would often say the answer was only “time”. I could not agree more. All pure science — if it is ever “pure” in the way some people like to think — eventually needs an application to make sense to society.

Set in the context of the upcoming general election and a challenging economic climate, SMMT has organised the New Car CO2 Report launch on 9 March from 14:30 – 16:00. Attendees will see a cross-party panel dissect the industry’s performance and debate how best to frame future low carbon transport policy to ensure positive government action and support for manufacturing and technological innovation.

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