British car production fell 18.4% year on year to 122,301 units in September. Of those, 92,279 were for export (off 15.3%) and 30,022 (-26.7%) were sold in the UK.
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Year to date production was off 9.3% to 1,112,607. Exports accounted for 842,132 of those, down 5.2%.
In contrast, September commercial vehicle production rose 9.0% to 21,431 units with 12,737 (+3.0%) shipped to other markets and UK-bound output up 19.1% to 8,694.
YTD, commercial vehicle output was off 2.1% to 151,618 though export output rose 4.5% to 97,976 units, offset by a 12.1% fall in home market production to 53,642.
“With the motor industry in a period of restructuring, it is no surprise that car production remains quiet’, said SMMT chief executive Christopher Macgowan. “However, once the new model investments recently announced by BMW, Nissan and Honda kick in we should see volumes stabilise accordingly.
“Commercial vehicle production continues at an encouraging level,’ he added. “Van output is buoyant in the UK and received a boost in September with the return of Astra van production at [GM Vauxhall’s plant at] Ellesmere Port. Heavy truck production has been affected by market distortions caused by legislative confusion.”
