CAR manufacturers have come under fire for the second time this year for failing to display carbon dioxide emissions data on their show vehicles.

Only about half of the motor manufacturers at this year's British International Motor Show had CO2 information available for the thousands of visitors. And several did not even have the g/km figures, required for the calculation of company car driver tax calculations from April 6, 2002, in promotional material on their NEC stand.

The CO2 gaffe provoked angry reaction from automotive industry consultant Stewart Whyte, who said: 'These people are not fit to draw their salary. I am disgusted. Some manufacturers say there is little demand from customers. I say there is little demand for some of the specification and model changes manufacturers make but they make them and don't bother to consult customers.'

And he for action from the top to ensure CO2 is never again forgotten: 'It needs a hearts and mind approach, and it wouldn't take more than 10 minutes for all the manufacturers' chief executives to call their heads of departments together to explain to them why carbon dioxide figures must be displayed,' said Whyte.

ACFO chairman Tony Leigh said: 'Company car drivers and fleet managers are being told they are ignorant of CO2 figures, but the manufacturers are hiding the information from them. A lot of fleet managers and company car drivers will attend the show and they want to know CO2 figures for the vehicles they might opt to have as a company car. There is no reason for manufacturers not to display these figures. They are as important, if not more important, than list prices.'

An ACFO survey of manufacturers at the show revealed those displaying CO2 statistics were: BMW, Ford on Ka, Focus and Galaxy, Land Rover, Volvo, Mazda, Volkswagen, Renault except new Laguna, Skoda, Fiat, Citroen, Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Isuzu, Subaru, Lexus, Jeep, Alfa Romeo, Vauxhall, Hyundai, Saab and Toyota. Manufacturers ignoring CO2 figures were: Ferrari, MINI, Maserati, SEAT, Honda, Ford on new Mondeo and Fiesta, Jaguar, Aston Martin, Nissan, Daewoo, Peugeot, Rolls Royce/Bentley, Audi, Daihatsu, Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler, Chevrolet and Cadillac.