Automotive News – Early February 2021

The UK’s used car market declined in 2020, down -14.9% according to the latest figures released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). 6,752,959 used car transactions took place, 1,182,146 fewer than in 2019, making 2020 the lowest performing year since 2012 as lockdown measures to tackle the coronavirus pandemic and turbulent consumer and business confidence dented sales. Despite used car transactions increasing 3.7% in October, a fourth consecutive month of growth, the combination of new lockdowns and tougher ... Read more

Automotive News – Late January 2021

UK car production declined -29.3% in 2020, to 920,928 units, according to the latest figures issued by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).  December, output was down -2.3% to 71,403, with some firms affected by border closures and thus component supply issues. This rounded off a dreadful year, the worst since 1984 for UK car makers, with the pandemic chiefly responsible for the decline. Manufacturing operations were severely disrupted throughout 2020, with lockdowns and social distancing measures restricting factory ... Read more

Automotive News – Early January 2021

Luxury car maker Jaguar Land Rover marked the end of 2020 with a second successive quarter-on-quarter recovery in sales, despite the continuing impact of COVID-19. The group, which builds cars at sites in Halewood, Merseyside, and Castle Bromwich and Solihull in the West Midlands, said retail sales for the quarter, ending December 31, 2020, were 128,469 vehicles, 13.1% higher than the 113,569 vehicles sold in the preceding quarter, but down nine per cent on the same period last year. China sales were particularly ... Read more

Automotive News Nov/Dec 2020

New HGV registrations decline -1.6% in Q3 2020  UK HGV market dips by 138 units to 8,419 in Q3 after turbulent first half of the year.  Demand for rigids up by 12.6% mirroring demand for essential delivery services and construction as lockdown measures eased over the summer.  Market currently down -39.6% year to date, representing a drop of more than 14,000 units. The UK’s new heavy goods vehicle (HGV) market declined slightly in the third quarter of 2020, down -1.6% with 8,419 ... Read more

Automotive News, October 2020

Tesla has recorded a fifth quarter in a row of profit, as sales of its electric cars accelerated to a new record despite the pandemic. The firm said it made $8.7bn in revenue in the three months to September, as deliveries rose 54%. The firm said it still hoped to meet its goal of delivering more than 500,000 vehicles this year but warned this had "become more difficult". Analysts also warned the firm faced mounting competition. So far, Tesla has delivered fewer than 320,00 cars ... Read more

Automotive News, September 2020

UK and European carmakers have warned a no-deal Brexit could put a £100bn dent in the region's car industry in the next five years, adding to heavy losses already caused by Covid-19. A letter signed by 23 trade groups across Europe urges the government to make a deal rather than default to World Trade Organization (WTO) rules.  It says without one, there will be a "catastrophic" rise in tariffs. A government spokesperson said it was "working hard" to reach an agreement. The industry has ... Read more

Automotive News, June 2020

UK Auto calls for restart support as Covid crisis threatens one in six jobs UK auto industry calls for dedicated restart package to save jobs and pave the way for recovery. New SMMT survey reveals a third of workforce still on furlough with up to one in six jobs at risk.  ‘Turbocharged’ Brexit negotiations needed to deliver a comprehensive zero-tariff FTA – crucial to avoiding crippling £40bn production losses by 2025. New report highlights importance of £100bn UK auto trade hub to boosting Britain’s future ... Read more

Automotive News, May 2020

AUTOMOTIVE Renault is cutting 15,000 jobs worldwide as part of a €2bn (£1.8bn) cost-cutting plan after seeing sales plunge because of the virus pandemic. "This plan is essential," said interim boss Clotilde Delbos, who announced cuts in production to focus on more profitable car models. Some 4,600 job cuts will be in France, and the firm said on Friday that it had begun talks with unions. On Thursday, Renault's strategic partner Nissan unveiled huge job cuts. Renault, 15% owned by the French state, said six sites ... Read more

Automotive News, Late March, 2020

AUTOMOTIVE More than £50m has been invested in the Nissan plant in Sunderland as the firm gears up to build the new Qashqai. The Japanese car-manufacturer said its new press, which weighs over 2,000 tonnes and can exert a pressure of 5,000 tonnes, forms part of its £400m investment in the plant. The Qashqai, which came out in 2006, is the plant's most successful car. Nissan had previously said that a no-deal Brexit could make its European business model "unsustainable". The press took 18 months to ... Read more

Automotive News, Late February, 2020

AUTOMOTIVE Car production has fallen for the fifth month in a row amid weak demand in the UK, new figures reveal. Production for the UK fell by almost a quarter in January compared with a year ago, although exports increased by 4.1%, said the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). https://www.expressandstar.com/news/uk-news/2020/02/27/car-production-falls-for-fifth-month-in-a-row-despite-improvement-in-exports/ Manufacturing at Jaguar Land Rover's UK plants could slow down because of difficulties in getting parts from China due to the coronavirus epidemic. Chief executive Sir Ralf Speth has warned UK production risks being ... Read more
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