In contrast to the 3.1% rise in passenger car production, UK commercial vehicle output fell 21.7% year on year in 2013, to 87,671 units as “weak demand in Europe produced a difficult environment for CV manufacturers”, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said.
Output is predicted to stay subdued into 2014.
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“Production of commercial vehicles struggled in 2013, due to restructuring of manufacturing operations and difficult economic conditions across Europe,” said SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes.
“With early signs of recovery on the continent and better performance in the truck and bus sectors, there are reasons to be positive but we expect overall volumes to remain subdued for some months yet.”
Exports last year fell 24.8% to 47,910 units.
Decvember production was down 25% to 5,136 but exports rose 16.1% to 4,122.
