British cars to get MBEs
April 30th, 2009 by Richard Aucock
3 million new car buyers a month will now be able to search through a list of the MBEs of new cars!
Motors.co.uk and vansunited.co.uk have launched the MBE scheme… that’s Made Better in England.
The idea? To highlight cars built in the UK, supporting British manufacturers.
This is because the site reckons two thirds of motorists would rather ‘buy British’, to support industry.
Rather in the face of figures released early in the month, which showed that car production in the UK has fallen at its fastest rate since 1968…
It is hoped Mandelson’s £2.3 billion aid package for car makers and suppliers, plus the new car scrap scheme, will help turn this around.
And the 2 websites are getting in on the act, too.
Thing is, car buyers CAN buy British – they just don’t realise some cars are made here!
For example, only 1 in 2 know the Nissan Micra is British. Less than 1 in 5 realise the Vauxhall Vivaro is made in Luton.
Katie Armitage from motors said the reason behind the scheme was clear: research showed an ‘inspiring’ number of buyers who would be kick-started into buying by the Government scrappage scheme.
Besides, ‘there are still more cars and vans manufactured in England than any other European country, she said. ‘Buyers want this to continue.’
Only German can beat the 30 manufacturing sites the UK boasts.
From now on, every car and van on the sites, built in England, will be ‘awarded an MBE’.
Helpfully, the two websites provide a guide on Big Brits…
1. Nissan Micra – Sunderland
2. Honda Civic – Swindon
3. Lotus Elise – Norfolk
4. Bentley Arnage – Crewe
5. Toyota Avensis – Burnaston
6. Jaguar XF – Castle Bromwich
7. Land Rover Freelander – Solihull
8. MINI Cooper – Oxford
9. Ford Transit – Southampton
10. Aston Martin DB9 – Gaydon
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Tags: british, campaign, motors.co.uk
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