Beating the French (and the Italians)
The UK is now the second biggest new car market in Europe, behind Germany. So far in 2002 this country has registered 433,357 more new cars than the French, enough to stretch through the Channel Tunnel more than 36 times.
Something old, something new
Following its re-birth and launch of S1 sports car at this year’s Motor Show, the Invicta Car Company is preparing to deliver its first new car early in 2003. A full 69 years since the last Invicta left the factory.
Road to nowhere
Bumper to bumper, it would take more than 275,000 cars to fill the 118 miles of M25.
Number One in Europe
The Ford Focus has been the most popular new car in the UK since 1999. Around Europe, Germany’s top seller this year is the VW Golf, France the Renault Clio, Italy the Fiat Punto and Spain the Citroen Xsara.
To all four corners of the earth
According to SMMT data, of 885,067 new cars exported last year 29 went to the Winward Islands in the Americas, 30 to Macao in Asia, two to Cape Verde in Africa, 262 to New Caledonia in Oceania and one to Moldova in Europe.
No standing please
By the end of last year there were 95,085 buses and coaches on UK roads. If every UK resident wished to travel by bus at any one time, these vehicles would have to average 619 seats!
Brand new heavies
There were more than 542,532 heavy commercial vehicles (over 3,500 kg) on the road at the end of 2001. But that’s fewer than in 1990 when there were 623,352.
Hondas go home
This year, Japanese car maker Honda started exporting its British-built Civic – back to Japan.
It’s Automatic
The top three selling automatics in Britain so far this year are the Mercedes C class, BMW 3 series and Ford Focus.
Carrying the cans
Generally, around 1,000 cars will take away the food that one truck delivers to a supermarket.
