Speaking during business day at the motor show, Christopher Macgowan, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, urged the media to report more of the good news about the British motor industry.

"Of course there are challenges and no one would deny that job losses should not be reported. But what I find so frustrating is that so much of the good news about our sector - multi-million pound investments and new jobs - seem to end up on the cutting room floor.

"For example, how many people outside our industry know that Ford has invested £240 million in the Bridgend engine plant, that car output is increasing at Toyota's Burnaston facility or that the Leyland Truck plant is the most efficient in Europe?

"These are just three examples. Yet these alone should be reason to consign comments about an ailing industry to the dustbin of history."

This week Ford announced a £1bn investment in the UK for R&D. Meanwhile the motor show has hosted the launch of a number of British-built cars, including the Land Rover Freelander, Honda Civic three-door, Jaguar XKR and Lotus Elise S.