DIRECTORS and senior managers at Ford driving to work or on business will be expected to use Ford cars and leave their Jaguars, Land Rovers and Volvos at home.

Ford of Britain's managing director Paul Thomas has 'reminded' the manufacturer's top staff that they should be driving Ford product on company business, to show faith in the product and restore pride in the 'blue oval'.

High level Ford staff are entitled to lease two cars through a company scheme, one a Ford car and the other a car from the Premier Automotive Group (PAG) stable of Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo, which have proved even more popular since the demise of the Scorpio.

Employees will still be able to select a PAG car, but will be expected to drive it only in the evenings and at weekends.

'We work for the 'blue oval' and this was a reminder to people to have a Ford as their first car,' said a Ford spokesman. 'Staff have to pay for the cars, so if they just want one car they have to have a Ford.'

Thomas himself is understood to have a Mondeo ST220 estate on order.