SAAB has hit out at the NCAP crash testing programme ahead of the next set of results from tests on upper medium cars. Saab's head of accident investigations Christer Nilsson said analysing how cars behaved in real road accidents was a better way of improving safety than laboratory crash tests.

The results of the first European crash testing programme - sponsored by the Department of Transport, Swedish Government, the FIA, AA and RAC - showed wide differences in passenger protection offered by seven popular superminis earlier this year. The tests were attacked by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders as 'unscientific' while consumer groups heralded them as a major breakthrough which would force manufacturers to build safer cars. Test results on 13 mainstream fleet upper medium cars will be announced on Tuesday (July 1)