The Risk Business

Special: Year of the Car (6x8)

Air date: Sep 24, 1980

This autumn sees the launch of two cars vital to the survival of Britain's car industry. BL's long-awaited Metro is the first all-British volume car for a decade arriving at a time when two out of three cars sold here are imports, and when there are severe doubts that Britain can sustain its own car-making company, The new Ford Escort is the result of years of collaboration between Ford in Britain, Germany and the USA. This multi-national car will determine the fate not only of Ford's European companies, out also of its debt-ridden American car operation. As Michael Rodd reports, 1980 will be the turning-point in Britain s car industry, whilst Andrew Neil reflects the view from Detroit where today's American crisis could well spell trouble for Europe's small-car makers.