The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has reported a big uptick in UK car manufacturing since the start of the year.
The organisation’s figures for March showed a 12% year-on-year increase, with 142,158 cars built compared with 126,909 in March 2013.
Of those, 33,221 were sold in the UK, which is 5130 and 18.2% more than this time last year. However, year-to-date UK new car sales stand at 86,505, which is currently 4.1% less than 2013’s 90,253, although export figures are up.
Mike Hawes, the SMMT’s chief executive, said: “The 12% growth in UK car production in March is a significant step forward after a period of product changes at the start to the year.”
“After several years in the doldrums, European demand for new cars is now picking up with growth in the last seven months.
“This is a welcome boost for the UK’s volume manufacturers for whom Europe is the key market.
“As new models are launched and investments realised, the sector remains on course for all-time record levels of output by 2017.”
