Production of new UK cars fell by almost 10% last month compared with a year ago, latest industry figures show. The Society of Motor Manufacturing and Traders (SMMT) said 136,119 new cars were built in May, 9.7% fewer than the same month in 2016.   The SMMT said carmakers were now set to ramp up production of new models, with exports the main driver of demand.  576,556 new cars have been shipped abroad since January, a 0.8% increase year-on-year.   Although production for overseas markets ... Read more

Japanese carmaker Toyota will be responsible for best practice requirements in a £3m programme created by several public and private bodies which aims to create a platform for fuel cell production for zero-emission cars.   Clean energy provider Intelligent Energy will take the technical lead in the scheme, aiming to demonstrate cost reductions of fuel cells through digital manufacturing techniques.   The three-year programme, named Digiman, will be supported by an academic department at the University of Warwick, which provides research in manufacturing and technology. ... Read more

March was the best month to date for UK car registrations, according to the car industry trade body. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said 562,337 new cars were registered in March, up 8.4% on the same month last year. Those figures were boosted by a change in the number plate in March and planned changes to the Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), it said.   “These record figures are undoubtedly boosted by consumers reacting to new VED changes, pulling forward purchases ... Read more

Toyota Motor Europe has announced that it will be investing a further £240m in its Derbyshire site to improve plant competitiveness and promote UK supply chain efficiencies.   Starting this year, Toyota’s Burnaston facility is expected to be progressively upgraded with new equipment, technologies and systems to enable the production of vehicles on the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform. The investment programme also includes (subject to due diligence) up to £21.3m support from the UK government for training, research and development, and ... Read more

This is Lloyds Bank’s third annual survey of the UK automotive manufacturing sector, part of a series of reports that look to examine the main opportunities and issues affecting Britain’s key industries. 2016 was a tumultuous year, with huge political upheaval across the globe bringing potential economic uncertainties. The UK’s decision to leave the EU created the biggest potential uncertainty for the UK’s automotive industry last year. Not only are many of the car makers operating in the UK internationally owned – from Bentley to BMW – but the EU is the biggest ... Read more

Average car prices have risen by 5.2% since the Brexit vote in June 2016, according to industry research.  The City expects the UK’s Consumer Prices Index (CPI) to reach 1.9% in the year to January. It has risen steadily from -0.1% in October 2015 to 1.6% in December 2016.   It said the price of some larger people-carriers had gone up by as much as 12.3%, although some other luxury cars were actually cheaper. In 2016, 86% of the cars sold in the ... Read more

Jaguar Land Rover has kept a firm grip on its position as the UK’s number one vehicle manufacturer, producing nearly one in three of all the cars made in Britain last year. The West Midlands-based company, with its engine plant in Wolverhampton, saw 544,401 cars roll off the production lines at its three UK car factories in 2016 – up 8% on the previous year.   JLR’s growth has been driven by demand for its top-selling Jaguar F-Pace and the new Land Rover ... Read more

A new report says Britain’s automotive industry looks set to continue its growth thanks to increased demand abroad and the development of cutting edge tech.  The report highlights increased demand for UK exports as well as the development of cutting edge technologies that are being demanded by manufacturers and consumers across the world. Despite the UK being the 13th largest automotive manufacturer in the world, it exports a larger proportion of automotive output than countries such as India, Brazil and France according ... Read more