@TeeCee

"Diesels. Pollute like it's going out of fashion "

Erm. No.

A 10 Year old Model, possibly. One built by an American manufacturer, probably. Even a modern diesel that hasn't been properly maintained - maybe.

Modern, European / Japanese Diesel Cars < 7 Years Old that have been properly maintained? No. And newer ones are even cleaner.

Not to mention that Diesel engines generally last 2-3 times longer than equivalent Petrol/Gas engines.... You wouldn't buy a petrol car that had done much more than 150,000miles and expect it to last very long.

You *would* expect a decent diesel to easily do twice that. (I have a friend with an 04 VW Bora PD TDi that has done 450,000miles and is still going strong) So how much pollution is caused by the manufacture of all those replacement Petrol cars?

Getting Back ON topic - it's good to see that they are going for a more "affordable" car, but I agree with other posters on here that by the time it gets to the UK it will likely be £30,000 If not more.

Currently the Vauxhall/Opal Ampera looks like the best of a bad bunch, but god knows how much that will be by the time they've added "Blighty Tax"

@Richard

Haven't you ever heard of the milk float? It's actually what people used to take the piss out of 'leccy cars for being like.

@Andy, others

£18k is fairly affordable- it's not far off Ford Mondeo costs, and no-one (in the UK) would call a mondeo driver and elitist rich bastard. Hence it's pretty much affordable.

Unfortunately it'll be nearer £30k by the time it gets to us, which will make it vastly less affordable.

@Peter Revell

No, cars over £10k aren't doomed to fail. If anything, cars under £10k should be more doomed as people go for better second-hand cars. I mean if you had £10k you could go for a brand new top end small thing or a decent former-top-end second-hand car that can comfortably do long distances and sitting in traffic.

Small, economical cars are- generally- crap for long distance driving. Yes, you can do it but I'd much rather sit in a BMW than a Fiat Panda for a 600 mile drive. Full disclosure- I did 500 miles in an old 3-series (driving) and about 120 miles in a Panda last week. The beemer was fun and I could comfortably walk / run about afterwards. The Panda left me with backache.

I don't know...

"A car is a commodity just like a fridge or TV which you don't sell with with half naked bimbos."

I don't know... I don't think I'd mind too much if my new TV or Fridge came with half-naked bimbos. (but what about *their* carbon footprint?)