UK car manufacturing this year has reached 1.125m units, up 3.9% on last year. SMMT data shows that 140,888 cars were built in September, 9.9% ahead of last year.
Cumulative data for the year so far shows that UK car output has been boosted by demand in the UK, with output for export flat against last year. However, exports picked up in September (9% ahead of last year). The export picture will be closely monitored in the comimg months amid signs that demand in Europe has bottomed.
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“Boosted by strong domestic demand, September’s 9.9% rise in car manufacturing reinforces how the sector is one of the UK’s biggest success stories of recent years,” said Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive.
“This year alone, more than £2.6 billion has been committed across the UK automotive sector, from the supply chain to global car manufacturing brands. This long-term financial commitment and robust demand for UK-built products demonstrate the global appetite for high-quality, desirable products borne of the UK’s world-class design, R&D and engineering.”
UK car output to rise to annual 1.9m units by 2017 – KPMG
John Leech, KPMG Head of Automotive said that UK car output will continue to rise until at least 2017, reaching an annual level of 1.9m units.
“The industry is confident that demand from the eurozone has stabilised following six straight years of decline and that UK and emerging market demand will continue to be very strong.
“The average price of cars exported is now double that of cars imported which shows that the UK is slowly re-orienting itself as a manufacturer of luxury cars, which is a much more sustainable situation than we have had before.
“The current production run rate is back at pre-recession levels last seen in 2008. Our forecast is that UK car production will continue to rise in 2014, 2015 and 2016 before peaking in 2017 at 1.9 million vehicles.”
| Car manufacturing | Sept 12 | Sept 13 | %ch | YTD-12 | YTD-13 | %ch |
| Total | 128,229 | 140,888 | 9.90% | 1,083,313 | 1,125,433 | 3.90% |
| Home | 25,864 | 28,992 | 12.10% | 194,448 | 240,939 | 23.90% |
| Export | 102,365 | 111,896 | 9.30% | 888,865 | 884,494 | -0.50% |
| % export | 79.80% | 79.40% | 82.10% | 78.60% | ||
| Source: SMMT |
