IT WAS billed as a prototype - but Daihatsu's elegant NCX supermini is likely to be in British showrooms by late next year. 'This car will be in production before too long. It is too early for me to talk about marketing. But it would be a perfect model to add to our UK range,' said Daihatsu UK chief executive Paul Williams.

As the compact saloon was previewed at Frankfurt, Williams said: 'It would fit well between the Cuore and the Charade and sit right in the middle of the sub-B sector. I'm sure it would be an attractive proposition because it appears more conventional than our other models and is considerably less radical than the Move. At a target price of £9,000, it would be at the top of our supermini range. If we do get this car, it will give us the biggest and youngest range of small cars available in Britain, with no model over two years old. I think it would be a considerable boost to our plans for expansion.'

Despite being less than 3.7 metres long, the NCX has sufficient cabin space to carry five adults in comfort. The NCX has four-channel anti-lock braking and a rear screen wiper for good visibility in poor weather. Drivers who keep doors locked against intruders will appreciate one of the car's novelties - in an accident, locks are automatically released and the interior light is switched on.