UK car building hits record levels in 2016
Britain's carmakers have built over a million cars in the first seven months of the year
Britain's car manufacturers are churning out new cars at record pace as the first seven months of 2016 have seen over a million new cars produced, according to new figures.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said British carmakers have seen production levels rise by 40 per cent in the last six years. The last time output surged past a million cars in the first seven months was in 2004.
July's output was up for the 12th consecutive month, with 125,566 cars built, taking the total to 1,023,723 for the year. Although July saw domestic demand up by 14 per cent, the majority of cars built this year have been sold abroad. Nearly four out five cars built in Britain are now exported.
The SMMT has previously shown strong fleet sales are currently carrying domestic sales. Private registrations of new cars have been down 4.5 per cent compared to the previous year, as more and more people switching to used cars in the hunt for a better deal.
With the outcome of the recent Brexit vote still unclear, the future of UK manufacturing is anything but certain. Carmakers have previously voiced concerns about their plans to continue to build in Britain if it fails to achieve favourable trade agreements.
SMMT chief executive, Mike Hawes, said: “UK car production in 2016 is booming, with new British-built models in demand across the world. Manufacturers have invested billions to develop exciting new models and produce them competitively here in the UK.
“Future success will depend on continued new car demand and attracting the next wave of investment so Britain must demonstrate it remains competitive and open for business.”
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