GREEN IS the unsurprising theme of the London Motor Show, which opens to the public today. All the big brands in attendance - and there are some notable absentees - were showing off their eco versions, with several important developments in reducing carbon emissions. For example, Ford introduced an "ECOnetic" version of its new Fiesta with a CO2 emissions figure of just 98g/km, lower than the Toyota Prius hybrid.
The centre of the main hall was branded the "electric car village", with demonstration models from the likes of G-Whizz and Norwegian car firm Think. The latter has production of up to 10,000 a year and, unlike the others, is not simply a covered electric scooter but a proper car.
Formerly a partner with Ford, Think plans to bring right-hand drive models to Britain and Ireland next summer. With a top speed of 105km/h and a range of 200km on a full charge, the company hopes it will take some share of the mainstream market. Of more note is, perhaps, the claims by the company that, over 10,000 miles, the total cost of electricity used will be about €130.
As for the new unveilings, it was left to Opel to give the show some global kudos with the launch of its Vectra replacement, the Insignia. After that, there are a handful of local British launches to catch the attention.
There was no ignoring the number of big brands that did not bother to attend, including the likes of Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, Skoda, Porsche, Volvo and Fiat. It's a show that's undoubtedly fighting to stay topical and justify the expense for car firms eager to cuts costs in the economic downturn. For Irish car fans, it's only really worth attending if you happen to be London while it's on.