MOTORING: Car makers drive into trouble

Pioneering Government test results due out next week are expected to show that some of Britain's most popular cars provide inadequate crash protection. The results of tests on seven "superminis", including the Ford Fiesta, Vauxhall Corsa, and Renault Clio which were crash tested at the Government's Transport Research Laboratory at Crowthorne in Berkshire are expected to reveal that only one of the cars can really be regarded as "safe". The Rover 100 (right), formerly the Metro, is expected to be the least safe car.

The tests, which are due out on Tuesday, form the first phase of the European New Car Assessment Programme. Organisations contributing to the programme include the Department of Transport, the RAC, the AA and the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile. Jojo Moyes