Not content with the...
Not content with the Yaris supermini and Aygo city car, the Japanese firm has let slip that it will launch an even smaller urban runaround by the end of the decade.
My best micro hatch...
My best micro hatch is the Kia Picanto, not the Toyota Aygo/Citroen C1/Peugeot 107 family, which could have won had it not been for overpricing. Next up is the Renault Clio (small hatch), Honda Civic (mid-size) and Ford Focus ST (hot). Car about town is the Mini One. The Lexus RX400h (hybrid), Chrysler 300C (saloon), Audi A6 (estate) and Mazda 5 (six-seater) are all best in class. In the 4x4 sector, the Nissan X-Trail (SUV), Land Rover Discovery (off-roader) and Jeep Wrangler (icon) clean up.
The Nissan 350Z gets better with age, and receives my coup탩 vote, with the Porsche Boxster (rag-top) and Cayman (supercar) also victors. Best used motor is the boxy, old-shape Jeep Cherokee. I bought a tatty one five years ago, and it has been faultless and fun. Best value product line-up is, excluding the C1, the Citroen range.
Sebastian Loeb, world rally champ, Race of Champions winner and Le Mans 24 Hours racer, is sportsman of the year. Top industry person is Martin Leach for trying to buy MG Rover and keep it going. Andy Priaulx, Dan Wheldon, Gary Paffett and Matt Neal are all Brits with leading motorsport titles to their name in 2005. Top loser is í‚á£11million-a-year Jenson Button, who has now notched up a record 100 races without a win. Nigel Mansell staged the greatest comeback and Heikki Kovalainen is best newcomer.
Heroes are ripped-off British drivers, plus innocent MG Rover workers who retained their dignity in disgraceful circumstances. Villains include London Mayor and congestion charge tyrant Ken Livingstone, plus his Labour colleague Alistair Darling, who plans a similar tax raid across England - but not his native Scotland. Road safety minister Stephen Ladyman was the embarrassment of the year when he "suggested" (his word) that his wife and her licence might consider inheriting some of his penalty points.
Best companies are Nissan, Honda, Toyota and Jaguar for continuing to build quality models in volume in Britain, while Halfords (top retailer) and the í‚á£130 Venturer twin-screen DVD player for car and home (best accessory) both deserve acknowledgement.
In Search of Speed was the greatest TV triumph, and best radio programmes in 2005 were the dozens I spoke on. That may not be true, but this is: Quote of the year comes from an old friend, Allard Britton, who told me: "I"ve decided against buying a Mitsubishi and ordered a BMW, as I wanted a car I could spell." Happy New Year everyone.