Cardboard car goes for test drive in Birmingham

A car made of cardboard has been taken for a test drive in Birmingham today. The Origami Car is made from precision-cut cardboard, replacing plastic, glass and sheet metal.

It was driven through the National Exhibition Centre by television presenter Kevin McCloud at the start of Grand Designs Live. The home improvement show is now in its tenth year and is expected to attract 60,000 visitors over the next four days.

The car can be driven because it has been fitted with an electric motor, although it only has a maximum speed of 7mph. The cardboard has been used to create most features including functioning doors and rolling wheels. Kevin McCloud described it as "beautiful", adding "this is the first time I've seen a cardboard car, and driven one, and it's remarkable."

However, he admitted it's not quite ready for the road: "The problem is it's not quite waterproof and isn't road legal. And the mirrors are very annoying because you can't see anything in them!"