Ford cars lead ‘auto boomer’ generation

A UK car census conducted by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) shows the automotive industry reflecting similar qualities to the baby boomer generation - resilience and longevity.
 
Rising new car registrations and longer-lasting cars have combined to push up the UK car parc by more than 436,000 units to 32 million in 2013, according to the study by the SMMT, with the dependable Ford Focus and Ford Fiesta the most prolific.
 
The 1.4 per cent rise in the 2013 parc marked the fastest rate of growth for 10 years. This saw the number of older cars rise as ever increasing reliability and economic factors combined. Cars older than 12 years rose 11.3 per cent against 2012 with 2.06 million more cars recorded in the latest census. Compared with a decade ago, the average age of a car increased by a full year (to 7.7 years old), as the trend grew for cars remaining on the road for longer.
 
There are more than 1,453 different models on UK roads with the Ford Focus taking the top spot for popularity, boasting almost 1.5 million owners, and the Ford Fiesta securing second place.
 
Features of a typical car produced during the baby boomer period (1946-1964) provide an interesting contrast to the specification of an auto boomer car, and perhaps a pointer towards some of the factors behind the growth in the UK car parc.
 
1953 Ford Prefect

Front/rear chrome bumpers

Fresh air vents

Four-cylinder (30 bhp) engine; 3-speed gearbox

Separate chassis

Rod-activated drum brakes

2014 Ford Fiesta ST

5-star Euro NCAP; Active City Stop; Intelligent Protection System; Airbags; Electronic Stability Control; etc.

Electronic Automatic Temperature Control; Heated front screen; Heated seats.

Four-cylinder (180 bhp) engine; 6-speed gearbox

Monocoque construction

Hydraulically activated, electronically-controlled disc brakes; Electronic Brake Distribution; Electronic Brake Assistance; Anti-Lock Brake System