In late October, Ford Motor defied a mood of deepening gloom in the car industry by announcing a £70m investment at its plant in Bridgend, Wales. Ford said it planned to produce 1.6 litre “EcoBoost” engines, which emit 15 per cent less carbon dioxide than conventional engines, to supply its global operations.

Detroit’s second-largest carmaker, weathering one of the most serious crises in its 105-year history, has little money to spare. So it cannot be accused of indulging in frivolous “greenwashing” in expanding its cleaner-engine production.