Mr Chernomyrdin showed a useful ability to tap the wheels of government and make them go round roughly as desired.

ECONOMIST: Viktor Chernomyrdin, student of survival

And without any grand programme, Mr Smith is also cutting the number of basic car platforms (the chassis and drive-train mechanical bits that make the wheels go round) from 16 to eight, in line with best practice at firms such as Ford, Volkswagen and Toyota.

ECONOMIST: The quiet man