Ford unveiled its new Focus hatchback at the show, which has been enthusiastically received by motoring journalists.

Land Rover unveiled the new Discovery 3.

Peugeot-Citroen unveiling some nifty new cars at the show, including the Peugeot 1007, a cute little 3 door hatchback city car with sliding doors. On the Citroen stand the new C4 posed a direct threat to the Ford Focus, and its sleek, balanced looks superficially gave it a clear edge over the Focus.

Toyota had little in the way of new product on its stand, although it did unveil the D-4D diesel, which it called the cleanest and most powerful diesel engine in its class. It develops 180 bhp which makes it the most powerful in the 1.9 litre to 2.2 litre category, with NOx and particulate matter emissions reduced to levels much below conventional diesel engines.

Toyota’s Lexus luxury division unveiled the new GS300 series, and a stunning little sports car, the LF-C concept.

Honda unveiled its new FR-V Multi Purpose Vehicle, which is about the size of a Fiat Multipla without the compromised looks.

Korean's Hyundai unveiled the new Sonata, while Kia, which says it is Europe’s fastest growing brand, introduced the Sportage SUV.