Nissan to build new car in the UK

In perhaps the most serious launch today - not a tuba-playing gymnast in sight - Nissan launched this Invitation concept. An important man spoke for a while, before ushering the British government's Business Secretary, Vince Cable, onto the stage. Why? Because the Invitation, which replaces the Note, will be built at Nissan's Sunderland factory alongside the Juke and Qashqai. And the government helped make this happen by sinking over nine million quid into the project.

But enough politics. There's a gaping, Fiesta-sized hole in the Nissan range, which the Invitation will plug when it goes on sale later next year. Details are light, but expect it to feel more upmarket than its obvious rivals, with options including around-view cameras similar to the system found on a Range Rover. It certainly looks bold - way more standout-ish than the smaller Micra or any other Nissan bar the Juke.

As ever it'll likely be watered-down before hitting showrooms, but if it keeps even 50 per cent of the visual clout of the orange show car, we'll be happy. As will the 2,000 workers whose jobs it created.