UK car output was up 1.9% in March according to the SMMT. It was the best March total since 2006.
The SMMT said that 144,893 cars were produced in the month and that it calculates the UK automotive industry is “more productive than ever before”.
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Looking at the past five year period, 11.5 vehicles were produced a year for each person employed in the industry. For the period from 2005 to 2009, the figure was 9.3 vehicles produced per employee per year.
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said:”Built in Britain’ is more than just a brand: our automotive industry is increasingly competitive on a global scale. The latest production figures are yet more evidence of that, and with £1 billion worth of fresh manufacturing investments announced by three UK manufacturers in March alone, the future is optimistic.”
John Leech, UK head of automotive at KPMG said that the March figures were boosted by new models. “New car production rose in March bolstered by new models such as the Land Rover Discovery Sport,” he said. “A recovering European car market which has grown for 19 consecutive months, also helped.”
He expects the positive trend to continue. “We expect new car sales will continue to accelerate this year as new models such as the Jaguar XE are launched and demand increases in most of our major markets. Overall we anticipate a 6 per cent growth in UK vehicle production in 2015.”
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By GlobalData| UK car production | ||||||
| Mar-14 | Mar-15 | %ch | Q1 2014 | Q1 2015 | %ch | |
| Total | 142,158 | 144,893 | 1.9% | 404,803 | 402,193 | -0.6% |
| Home | 33,211 | 41,339 | 24.5% | 86,505 | 105,515 | 22.0% |
| Export | 108,947 | 103,554 | -5.0% | 318,298 | 296,678 | -6.8% |
| %export | 76.6% | 71.5% | 78.6% | 73.8% |
