It’s a radical proposition — especially given that no car manufacturer’s fleet comes anywhere near that average. Carmakers will have to work hard and spend money they don’t have, to phase out the gas-guzzlers in their portfolios and introduce energy-sippers.

No wonder U.S. car manufacturers and Bush’s oil barons had been resisting cuts for years. It’s going to be especially hard for those whose most successful cars are SUV and high-performance models.

The other issue is that it takes time for the technology to get on the road. It takes the average car produced by a major carmaker at least four years to go from initial design to dealership forecourt, via marketing, engineering, safety testing and factory floor.

Developing new technology is phenomenally expensive, and creating the plants that can produce cars with the new technology is pricier still. This is why manufacturers often share platforms like the Ford KA and the Fiat 500, for example.

Most carmakers have been going eco for the last few years but progress is slow. So what’s in the pipeline? The current economic climate as well as our eco expectations will shape the next few years — most people will be looking to buy smaller, cheaper-to-fuel cars. Expect more electric cars in three years' time; by 2016 they might be as affordable as gas models. They might have smaller, more ecological batteries, and — the way because of the way they’re made and the energy that fuels them — might be more sustainable too.

Don’t expect anything too radical to come from the major players; after all, this time of crisis caused Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne to gloomily predict that in two years' time, only six global carmakers will exist.

The innovation might well come from faster moving companies on the outside...

Throughout 2009 MINI fans all over the world will be toasting this unique tiny, democratic car, both the original and the new, chunky BMW version. They’ll also be able to get their hands on the new MINI convertible.

When the first ‘new’ MINI convertible came out, I took it on an epic voyage from the launch in Seville back to London. En route it acquired admirers, whether it pulled up outside hip music festivals, nightclubs, luxury hotels, motorway service stations or crowded beaches in Spain and France. It was perfect road trip companion: comfortable, powerful, and with just enough trunk space to fit in the party dresses and shoes of two Sex and the City-style holidaymakers.

Does the new MINI cabrio still have the capacity to thrill? For starters, the car only comes in sporty Cooper, Cooper S and John Cooper Works editions.

The new car doesn’t mess much with the winning formula of the original, even if it is longer but smaller and lighter. Rear visibility is slightly improved thanks to the hidden roll-bar, and trunk space is still a doll-sized 125 litres, but otherwise it’s a delight to drive, feisty and responsive.

It’s more powerful than the old model, but it’s also is more economical and ecological, with auto stop start that cuts the engine when it’s idling. The roof closes in 15 seconds at speeds of up to 32 km/h for when you travel through car-jacking territory, and great gimmicks include the air-conditioned glovebox, and the ‘MINI Always open timer’ measures how many hours you’ve driven top-down, although unfortunately not what SPF you need to apply before you fry.

It might be more expensive than many of its rival cabrios but then it’s also of superior quality — it will certainly feel more substantial than the Fiat 500 convertible that will snap at its heels when it launches this year. However, given that MINI is one of the rare car companies that increased sales last year, don’t expect popularity to be a problem for this new cabrio.

Last week it transpires that Manchester City star footballer Cristiano Ronaldo is being ordered to fork out for the damage he did to a tunnel when he totalled his Ferrari sports car.

Manchester airport, who own the tunnel that Ronaldo crashed his red Ferrari 599 in are charging $360,580 for the damage that the crash did to the brickwork, railings and exit door. An expensive crash, even for a man who earns $216,348 a week...

In the meantime, Lance Armstrong was distraught when his beloved yellow time trial bike was stolen from their truck parked up in Sacramento during the Tour of California race. There’s a happy ending to this story, though — after making an SOS to his Twitter and Facebook followers and offering a reward for the one-off Livestrong Trek TT, it was returned to a local police station.

On a more upbeat note, tennis champ Rafael Nadal has been celebrating his recent victory over rival Federer with a cruise in his new car — a 6litre, V12 Aston Martin DBS, the choice of James Bond.

1. Tango
One of the few of these skinny, high-speed electric cars is owned by George Clooney. It costs more than $100,000.

2. Tesla Roadster
The electric sportscar Tesla Roadster is a hit with speed freaks, going from zero to 100 km/h in just 3.9 seconds.

3. REVA GWiz
The most-produced EV, this small, slow 2+2 seater has been a huge hit in the city of London.

Mitsubishi has been working on battery-powered cars since the '90s and it’s now launching its first EV. The MiEV (Mitsubishi innovative Electric Vehicle) is an electric version of its spacious 4-seater gasoline ‘i’ city car.

Mitsubishi has basically replaced the mid-rear engine of this striking Japan-built car with lithium-ion batteries, so it feels like you’re driving a regular car.

In fact, it actually handles better than the gas version because the heavy batteries give it a low centre of gravity.

With speeds of up to 140 km/h it’s not scary taking a blast on the highway, and if you’re crawling through city traffic, the ‘eco’ mode reduces power from 47kw to 18kw. ‘B’ increases the regenerative braking effect when you’re driving downhill.

The most noticeable difference is the silence, mounting to a space-car whiz when you boost towards 100 km/h. And of course you have to plug it in — seven hours for a full charge, or to 80 per cent in 30 minutes if you buy a quick charger.

The MiEV is cheap to run even if it won’t be cheap to buy. It has a range of up to 160 km, the qualities of a mainstream car including dealers to service it, and eco-brownie points all packaged up in cool Japanese design.

No wonder savvy drivers have already put deposits on the MiEVs that are being leased in small numbers from dealers globally this year.

This crazy credit crunch isn’t putting us off – investing in motoring as nearly a third of us plan to buy a new car in the next 18 months. In fact Metro readers are an optimistic lot – 37% of us say that the economic situation hasn’t affected our decision to buy a car, even if a third are less likely to buy.

Metro readers love a new car, more than half bought their car brand new, and of those planning to buy a car will buy new.

We’re buying new cars but our priorities have changed. Before it was all about safety and CO2 emissions, now we’re more interested in costs. Metro motorists are thrifty: we care more about fuel consumption, price and value of a car, and less about whether it’s fast or made by a cool brand.

Metro readers are economical and eco-friendly. In US and Canada we drive SUVs, but fewer than 5% of the rest of us do.

With 23 million Metro readers worldwide, it’s good news for both economy and the environment! 

1. Ex-singer behind Russia’s next super car
Russia’s first supercar was ­revealed in Moscow this week. The Marussia is a hybrid ­developed by racing driver, ex-singer and actor, Nikolay Fomenko.

2. Paris revives old Bentley – with pink
Rumour has it that Paris Hilton has had her old Bentley Continental GTC spray-painted baby pink by ‘Pimp my Ride’ custom car shop, West Coast Customs.

3. Honda CR-V – your choice in the recession
Business Week has named the most recession-proof cars. Want a reliable car that keeps its value? Buy a Honda CR-V, MINI Cooper, BMW 328i.

These noises aren’t intrinsic, they’re all created by fine tuning and plenty of padding, without which your car would sound like a pair of maracas.

“Almost all the sounds you work on in the car are adjustable,” explains Anette Garnemark, systems analyst at Volvo’s NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness) Centre, where they tweak sounds from the road, wind, engine and car components, reducing ‘irritating’ noises and enhancing ones that ‘inform’ and ‘impress’.

The noise a closing door makes is particularly crucial, as it’s the driver’s first contact with the car.

Volvo’s doors are designed to sound “reliable and premium,” says Garnemark. The sound is muffled without echos, thanks to optimized lock and damping material. 

The engine note is also key. Fiat has a team that tunes your 1.4 litre to sound more like a Ferrari, as in the new 500 Sport. Over at Ferrari each new model gets its own symphony.

“There is a very clearly defined design behind the noise every Ferrari makes,” explains the Italian brand’s technical director, Roberto Fedeli. “Designing the sound ­isn’t that different from composing a piece of music. There’s no mistaking Carlos Santana’s sound when he plays guitar, even though it’s still different every time. The same has to be true of a Ferrari engine.”

The bespoke engine sound is created by working on the intake manifolds, but first they have to decide what each model should sound like. “It’s a subjective process involving identifying sensations and feelings that make up a signature aspect of the new car,” says Fedeli.

The sound is produced using musical instruments, mixers, samplers, and composition programs. It's then signed off by Ferrari’s top brass before engineers reproduce it in the engine.

Of course there are legal restrictions — this applies to the horn, the volume in the cabin and even the indicator. In a Ferrari, the noise level never gets above 85db, even at full speed — much to the chagrin of some owners.

1. New Japanese cars
The unique car models that are designed for Japan are celebrated in a new exhibition at London’s Science Museum. Check out the concepts, kooky city cars and ideas for the ­future of urban transport. sciencemuseum.org.uk

2. Honda hybrid in 2009
Honda has revealed photos of their first production hybrid, the Insight, ahead of the Detroit Show presentation. The Insight goes on sale in the first half of 2009.

3. will.i.am goes Tesla
Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am has apparently bought himself a Tesla roadster — an electric sports car owned by fellow eco-celebs George Clooney and Matt Damon.

The Clubman is longer than the MINI and statistically it should give your passengers more room, and lots of space in the trunk. But it doesn’t feel much more spacious in the back and rear visibility is rubbish because of the doors.

The Cooper S is the perkiest member of the Clubman fleet, but it’s less feisty than the regular MINI, and somehow the racing version makes less sense than on this larger, less sporty model.

Then again, the upcoming the MINI Crossover SUV doesn’t make sense to me. Maybe I just prefer my MINIs truly mini.

1. The U.S. goes crazy for the MINI E trial
MINI will trial their electric Cooper by leasing 500 cars in California, New York and New Jersey. Despite the $850 US/month fee, more than 9,500 have already signed up for the scheme.

2. Portugal’s electric-car charging network
Nissan-Renault is to build a ­nationwide electric car-recharging network in Portugal from 2010. Next up are France, Israel and Denmark.

3. Carmakers in Detroit no-show
More gloomy U.S. car industry news — Mitsubishi, Suzuki, ­Ferrari, Land Rover, Rolls-Royce and Nissan/Infiniti have bailed on the annual Detroit auto show.

That’s the thing with the Cube, it’s so irresistible that everyone wants a ride in one.

When the Cube first appeared in 1998, it blew car design fans away with its unique, boxy shape and its asymmetrical design. More than just a car, it was a beautifully conceived piece of product design, in the same way that the iPod is more than an MP3 player.

The Nissan Cube's interior.

Those bitten by the Cube bug have been waiting to buy it ever since. But — as Alfonso Albaisa, VP of Nissan Design Europe explained at the reveal of the third-generation version that is finally coming across the pond — there were obstacles to overcome, including reversing engineering to create a right-hand drive car.

The exterior is still show-stopping despite the crowded landscape for boxy cars, and the interior is truly the lounge that Albaisa intends for you to relax in, complete with soft sofa-like seats, shag carpets and a large glass roof with a blind and a shoji shade that allows light through but cuts down heat.

“It’s a car that doesn’t want to be defined as car,” says Albaisa. “More like an extra room that you could plug into your house.”

The Cube arrives in the U.S. early 2009, and in Europe late 2009, with 1.5-litre diesel and 1.6-litre gas powertrains.

Cool new square cars 

Citroën C3 Picasso
The latest cool design from French carmaker Citroën.

Daihatsu Materia
Like the Copen, another friendly-faced car from Daihatsu.

Kia Soul
A hip boxy car designed to ­appeal to young urbanites.

Drive economically. Drive smoothly and avoid revving the engine — you will use less fuel. Plus, driving this way doesn’t stress the engine as much.

Drive electric. The REVA Gwiz is one of the most successful electric cars on the market. Petite but practical.

Buy the world’s cheapest car. Pick up India’s Tata Nano. $2500 US shouldn’t set you back too much.

Carpooling. Share the cost of driving with friends. Plus, you might actually get to know new people.

The first question to ask is do you need to drive? Why not walk to the supermarket, and trade your car for a bus or bike for your daily commute. If you must drive, car-pooling is a great way to cut fuel costs.

The great news is that economical is also ecological driving. By using less fuel, you’ll save your cash and the planet at the same time.

The more aerodynamic your car is, the less fuel it will use, so cut drag by removing your roofrack, and closing your windows. And, turf your golf clubs out of the trunk — the heavier the car, the more gas it uses. Finally set your tires to the correct pressure, and you’ll use up to 10 per cent less fuel.

Stick to the speed limit: your car pollutes most at very low or high speeds.

If you’re considering buying a car, buy the smallest and cheapest car that suits your needs. It will cost less to insure and run. Second-hand cars are cheap, but there are some very decent cheap new cars on the market and in the current economic climate, desperate dealers are offering bargain prices. Take a chance and haggle over the price of the car; dealers can’t afford to keep cars on their lot for long.

Eventually we hope to have the Nano, the world’s cheapest car. Built by Tata, India’s largest car manufacturer, starting this winter, the Nano will cost 100,000 rupees (around $2500 US).

Petite but practical, electric vehicles are hot with thrifty city motorists. The REVA GWiz has been a huge hit in London, and is going global so drivers everywhere can enjoy cheap driving, tax incentives, free parking, and other benefits.

1. L.A. auto show preview
Nissan will reveal the glamorous 2009 370Z Coupe to the public at the L.A. auto show on Nov. 19. Next week I’ll be getting a first view of the new version of the Nissan Cube, ­finally available outside Japan in spring 2009.

2. Hotel George V’s Hermes Rolls Royce
To celebrate its 80th anniversary, Paris’ prestigious hotel George V has created a bespoke Rolls Royce Phantom, customized by fashion house Hermès with a grey leather interior and starlight headliner. From 750 euros for an airport pick up.

3. The motorcycle airbag
Good news for bikers: Dianese is trialling a motorcycle airbag, on sale in a few years’ time. Worn like a backpack, it inflates on impact, protecting the upper part of the chest, the shoulders and the neck.

Meanwhile, football megastars trade in their unwanted motors. Cristiano Ronaldo recently sold his silver 2007 Bentley Continental GTC for $230,830, but you can still get your hands on David Beckham’s silver automatic 2002 Bentley Arnage T with cream leather interior.

Bought for $391,850 with $161,350-worth of customisation including monogrammed ‘Brooklyn’ baby seat and ‘Victoria’ embroidered on the arm-rest, this immaculate car with only 40,000 km on the clock will set you back just $228,270, through www.autotrader.co.uk.

André and Coqueline Courrèges invented the space-age look of the 1960s, with their white PVC boots and A-line minidresses. But they’ve always designed more than clothes as their new book Courrèges testifies, creating furniture, interiors, Olympics uniforms — and cars.

The Courrèges’ first prototype was a one-seater electric car, sent down the runway with their 1969 collection as an ecological comment.

In 2002, Coqueline, horrified by the car industry’s failure to address the urgency of climate change, set about showing how easy is is to develop a practical green car. “Car manufacturers need a kick in the butt,” she says when I hitch a ride with her in Paris. “We urgently need to put the brakes on consumption.”

Coqueline built the white bubble-shaped Bulle, an EV with a range of 170 km and top speed of 110 km/h, then tried different batteries in her next two prototypes, the EXE and Zooop, each lighter and more energy-efficient than the last.

EVs have a reputation for looking lame and driving like golf carts, but these cars combine stunning design and high speed. Pedestrians gasp as the blue-framed lithium ion battery-powered EXE fires straight to 90 km/h, just half way to its top speed.

The rear-wheel drive, egg-shaped and yellow Zooop is even more powerful, reaching 180 km/h, earning it a prize for performance at Michelin’s annual sustainable mobility event, Challenge Bibendum. You could overtake a truck on the highway in this, and it also has a range of 450 km.

They’re the dream car for the city — big enough for three, fast but efficient and totally cool. While we wait for a Courrèges production car, Coqueline is exploring new technologies. She’ll reveal two new prototypes in January and plans to use solar power within the next five years.