The UK is often regarded as a place where service industries excel – provision of world class breakdown insurance among them – but what about manufacturing? This country has not had the greatest reputation for fostering manufacturing, particularly car making.

Yet it might surprise some as to how many cars we do build. Here’s a run-down of the most prominent:

• Nissan – this Japanese firm runs the UK’s biggest car plant, making the Qashqai, Micra and Note in its Sunderland plant.

• Rolls Royce – Can’t get anymore British (BMW ownership duly noted). The Goodwood plant now makes the updated Phantom model.

• Toyota – the second biggest car make in the world makes its Avensis and Auris models in Burnaston, Lancashire.

• MINI – Such is the popularity of the MINI that the firm’s owners BMW have rolled out a whole range of new models: the Convertible, Clubman, Coupé and Roadster. Only the Countryman is built outside the UK, in Austria.

• MG – The Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) manufactures most of the MG’s parts in China, but assembly takes place in Longbridge, Birmingham.

• McLaren – The MP4-12C is the first road car since the F1, built at its Woking plant in Surrey.

• Lotus - Built in Hethel, Norfolk, Lotus has big plans, guided by the ambitious Dany Bahar. The Evora is one of their current flagship models.

• Land Rover – the astounding success of the Evoque cements Land Rover’s reputation as one of the premiere SUV status brands in the world.

• Jaguar – able to compete with the best of the Germans, the Jaguar brand continues to excite high end car buyers around the globe.

• Honda – this Japanese giant builds its Civic, CR-V and Jazz models in Swindon.

• Caterham – this famous Dartford based manufacturer builds the well-known Seven model, as well as the new SP.300R track car.

• Bentley – Owned by VW but British to its core, Bentley still makes all its models – including the new V8-powered Continental GT at its Crewe plant.

• Aston Martin – Another thoroughly British car, this one’s built in Warwickshire and owned by a group of multi-national investors.

• Vauxhall – Last but not least, this brand has been given a new lease of life by its owners GM, which has chosen to build the next generation of Astras at its Ellesmere Port factory, safe-guarding 700 jobs.