The final countdown: Ultra-budget brand Dacia almost here...

Dacia, Renault's budget brand, is 100 days away from launching in the UK. It's a timely reminder, given yesterday's budget, that cheap French motoring is very close at hand.

And we do mean cheap: buyers will be able to bag a Duster 4x4 from £12,500. For comparison, the cheapest four-wheel drive version of the Ford Kuga is the 2.0-litre diesel Zetec, at £23,000.