Under-pressure Malaysian car firm Proton’s future has finally been secured after Geely Holding agreed to buy a stake in the firm after pipping PSA Peugeot-Citroen to make the winning bid. The deal is good news for British sports car enthusiasts because Proton owner DRB-Hicom also controls Lotus Cars – and Geely’s completed a full takeover of it.

The deal is expected to be finalised today (Wednesday 24 May); in advance of it, DRB-Hicom shares have been suspended on the Kuala Lumpur stock exchange.

Proton sales have been under pressure for some time and the firm’s two Malaysian factories are currently operating well below their capacity of 400,000 cars. Insiders say Geely’s first priority will be re-establishing Proton in right-hand drive markets such as the UK, Australia, India and its home market of Malaysia. Platform and technology-sharing with Geely cars and SUVs is expected to accelerate this turnaround.

Proton and Lotus on Motoring Research:

• Light fantastic: new Lotus Elise Sprint driven

For Lotus, the news will be excellent: the Norfolk firm will be looking positively at what Geely stewardship has done for Volvo Cars. After the downfall of Dany Bahar, current boss Jean-Marc Gales has stabilised the company, returned it to profitability and even begun development of an all-new Lotus Elise for 2020. Extra investment from Geely can only be a good thing here.

Might Lotus finally become the genuine British sports car alternative to Porsche, maybe even Ferrari, that was Bahar’s vision all those years ago? We shall watch with great interest.

Oh, and keep our fingers crossed for a new Volvo-themed Lotus performance special…

Ford has announced that CEO Mark Fields is to leave the company and be replaced by Jim Hackett, head of company subsidiary Ford Smart Mobility.

Fields’ departure follows a loss in confidence of his leadership from the Ford board, led by executive chairman Bill Ford. Ford’s share price has declined 40 percent under Fields’ leadership since taking over from Alan Mulally in 2014.

Ford’s biggest hits on Motoring Research: 

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“We’re moving from a position of strength to transform Ford for the future,” said executive chairman Bill Ford. “Jim Hackett is the right CEO to lead Ford during this transformative period for the auto industry and the broader mobility space. He’s a true visionary who brings a unique, human-centred leadership approach to our culture, products and services that will unlock the potential of our people and our business.”

Other senior Ford executives are to assume more senior roles. Ford Europe president Jim Farley has been appointed executive vice president and president, Global Markets, while Joe Hinrichs becomes executive vice president and president, Global Operations. Marcy Klevorn is to become executive vice president and president: Mobility, when the job shake-up takes place on June 1.

Ford recently announced 1,400 job cuts as part of an efficiency drive. The firm is still on track to report pre-tax profits of $9 billion this year, despite a sales decline of 25 percent so far. 

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Mouhammed Choukeir, chief investment officer at Kleinwort Hambros, said: “Fields has only been in the post for three years, so this is in some ways a surprise.”

He did, however, acknowledge that there may be nerves in the Ford boardroom due to the decline in the company’s share price under Fields’ leadership. 

Ford added: “We are fortunate to have three dynamic and talented leaders in Jim Farley, Joe Hinrichs and Marcy Klevorn taking on greater responsibility. Each has a track record of driving innovation, cost efficiency and delivering results around the world. They will work closely with Jim Hackett to lead Ford’s day-to-day operations, build our brand and capitalise on emerging opportunities.”

Global passenger cars and light commercial sales recorded an increase of almost 5% during the first quarter of 2017, according to figures released by JATO Dynamics. Vehicle registrations totalled 21.24 million across the 52 markets covered by JATO.

If you’re looking to stand out from the crowd, these are the cars to avoid. We’ll run through the top 20 in reverse order.

20. Hyundai Tucson

Volume: 127,587

The really-rather-good Hyundai Tucson is the 20th most popular car in the world. Coincidentally, from a volume perspective, Hyundai is the world’s sixth largest carmaker, with just under a million registrations in Q1.

19. Suzuki Swift

Volume: 128,025

We’re about to say goodbye to the current Suzuki Swift, but don’t worry, because the replacement is very good. In the meantime, the outgoing model continues to sell in big numbers, making the Swift more popular than the Fiesta.

18. Volkswagen Lavida

Volume: 130,032

Ricky Martin loves the Volkswagen Lavida so much he wrote a song about it. Probably.

17. Toyota Camry

Volume: 131,807

The 2018 Camry was unveiled at the 2017 Detroit Motor Show, as Toyota tries to convince the world that the saloon car has a future. Truth is, while motorists clamber for crossovers, the Camry remains incredibly popular in North America.

16. Chevrolet Silverado

Volume: 142,705

Big truck, big numbers and yet Chevrolet must look at the all-conquering Ford F-Series with a sense of ‘Desperado’. Registrations are down 0.4%, while sales of the Ford, as we’ll see later, continue to grow.

15. Ram pickup

Volume: 145,326

There’s better news for Ram, with registrations up 3.8%. Its range includes the Ram 1500: America’s only half-ton pickup available with a diesel engine. In May 2017, FCA said it would be recalling 1.2 million Ram pickups to fix faulty software that can disable airbags and seatbelt tensioners.

14. Volkswagen Polo

Volume: 148,331

Volkswagen Polo registrations are down 3.4%, which is hardly surprising given the fact that a new model is on the way. Based on these figures, the Polo is the world’s most popular supermini.

13. Ford Kuga

Volume: 153,835

The Ford Kuga, or Ford Escape as it is known in North America, has taken full advantage of the surge in popularity of SUVs and crossovers. Ford offers a posh Vignale edition, claiming that SUV stands for ‘Sophisticated Utility Vehicle’. Right.

12. Hyundai Elantra

Volume: 159,112

The Hyundai Elantra, otherwise known as the Avante or i35, is the 12th most popular car in the world. We’re struggling to find something interesting to say.

11. Ford Focus

Volume: 166,290

Focus registrations are down 13.5%, a factor contributing to Ford’s 2.1% drop in overall registrations. The all-new Fiesta should help to reverse this trend, not least because the range includes a new Active model: the first Fiesta crossover. We expect the Focus to follow suit.

10. Honda HR-V

Volume: 167,051

Into the top 10, where we find, perhaps predictably, a crossover/SUV. The Honda HR-V, otherwise known as the XR-V and Vezel, managed to shift 167,051 units in Q1, an increase of 3.6%.

9. Toyota RAV4

Volume: 170,362

The Toyota RAV4 is another crossover on the march, with registrations up 10% in Q1. Exciting it is not, but folk seem to love the RAV4.

8. Volkswagen Tiguan

Volume: 172,623

The same can be said of the Volkswagen Tiguan, with registrations up a massive 47.9%. The launch of the all-new version is a contributing factor here. Enjoy your time in the limelight, Tiguan, because we expect the Skoda Karoq to grab a slice of your pie.

7. Wuling Hong Guang

Volume: 175,945

GM’s Wuling brand introduced the Hong Guang S1 MPV in 2015. Two years later, Wuling unveiled its first SUV: the Hong Guang S3. Last year, around 640,000 Hong Guang models were sold in China, making it the nation’s best-selling nameplate.

6. Honda CR-V

Volume: 177,473

Honda CR-V registrations are up 15.1%, making it the world’s most popular compact SUV. The CR-V pioneered the concept of the compact SUV when the first model arrived in Japan back in 1995.

5. Honda Civic

Volume: 178,605

And so to the top five, where we find the Honda Civic. Registrations are up 31.7%, which bodes well for the new model about to hit the showrooms.

4. Volkswagen Golf

Volume: 209,764

The Volkswagen Golf is one of four models to break the 200,000 barrier, but registrations are down 7.6%. The Mk7 facelift should help to reverse this trend.

3. Nissan X-Trail

Volume: 212,244

The Nissan X-Trail has to play second fiddle to the Qashqai in the UK, but globally it trounces its smaller sibling. Registrations are up 23.4%, as the X-Trail breaks into the top three and closes in on second position.

2. Toyota Corolla

Volume: 214,618

More than 44 million Toyota Corollas have rolled off the production line since 1966, making it by far and away the world’s most popular car. And yet, it has to make do with second position in 2017.

1. Ford F-Series

Volume: 243,978

And that’s because the Ford F-Series remains at the top of the tree. Registrations are up 10%, which begs the question: where on earth are the North Americans putting these things? They’re not exactly small.

The Conservatives have pledged a £600 million investment towards zero-emission cars by 2020 should they win next month’s general election. It comes as prime minister Theresa May launches her party’s 2017 manifesto as part of her plans to “build a stronger, fairer, more prosperous Britain” following Britain’s exit of the UK.

“Our ambition is for Britain to lead the world in electric vehicle technology and use,” says the manifesto. “We want almost every car and van to be zero-emission by 2050 – and will invest £600 million by 2020 to help achieve it.”

The Tories are also pledging to develop the strategic road network, providing extra lanes on UK motorways and improving key routes. The manifesto also says it’ll pay attention to parts of the country left behind by poor transport connections, and will invest in roads to fix pinch points.

More about the general election on Motoring Research

• What does the Labour manifesto mean for motorists?
• What does the Lib Dem manifesto mean for motorists?

“We are leading the world in preparing for autonomous vehicles and will press ahead with
our plans to use digital technology to improve our railways, so that our roads and tracks can carry more people, faster, more safely and more efficiently,” adds the manifesto.

Yesterday, the Lib Dems launched their manifesto, pledging to introduce a diesel scrappage scheme and ban the sale of diesel cars entirely by 2025. Meanwhile, the Labour Party has said it will upgrade roads in a bid to reduce congestion and scrap tolls on the Severn Bridge.

Mini has at last introduced Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity into its model range, with new 2017 Clubman and Countryman models first to get it. Cars ordered from July 2017, with the Media Pack XL or Media Tech Pack, will get Apple CarPlay preparation, working via a central 8.8in screen – which now has touchscreen functionality alongside the usual Mini Touch Controller.

Apple CarPlay on Motoring Research:

• Apple pairs with Volvo to bring CarPlay to XC90
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That’s not all Mini’s changed for 2017 either. Those who’ve been driven to distraction by the current generation’s substandard fuel gauge now have a much more precise readout: like all the July 2017 changes, it’s not headline-grabbing, but customers will welcome it. Same goes for instruments that, at night, are now illuminated in crisp white rather than BMW orange.

2017 Minis will be a bit safer through the introduction of a driver alertness monitor on Hatch and Convertible models, for those picking the Mini Visual Boost, Mini Navigation or Mini Navigation XL options. When it senses the driver’s getting tired, it will nag them to take a break.

Finally, the fiddle of adjusting Mini Driving Modes will be made a bit less niggly by moving the switch to a toggle controller below the air con dials.

As for CarPlay on other Minis, expect it to roll out in time – perhaps on best-selling Hatch models when the model range receives its mild facelift due later this year?