Europe's car makers are in crisis. Will the threat of war rescue them?

BySimon JackBusiness editor and Theo LeggettInternational Business Correspondent

It's green, bulging and intimidating. Ford's latest vehicle looks like a pick-up truck that has been through an Incredible Hulk transformation. Based on its popular Ranger series, this beefy number parked outside the front door of Ford's Dagenham plant can carry a load of two tonnes, tow up to four tonnes and is also shouldering the hopes of the 2,000-strong workforce that still makes engines here.

Inside the factory, the three-litre diesel…