SMMT News

Bus and coach registrations steady in June with a 0.3% rise; year-to-date volumes remain up 3.4%. Purpose-built sector made gains in the month with a 19.1% rise, leaving the year down just 6.3%. Converted bus market fell 16.8% in June, but year-to-date remains positive, up 13.5%.

Total commercial vehicle registrations rose 25.5% in June to 33,941; rolling year up 16.4% to 344,762. Van market maintains impressive growth with registrations up 33.3% in June, causing year-to-date volumes to increase 16.8% to 155,532 and rolling year up 16.0% to 293,428.

SMMT has published Electric Vehicle (EV) registration figures for June and the year-to-date.

1,287,265 new cars registered in first six months of the year – a 10.6% rise and the best half-year total since 2005. June saw new car registrations rise 6.2% to 228,291 units. Consumer demand for efficiency has driven alternatively-fuelled vehicle registrations up 51.3% to 23,337 units year-to-date.

Please click here to download July’s edition of the member services bulletin

The first MINI five-door Hatch has rolled off the production line today at its plant in Oxford.

SMMT’s 15th annual Automotive Sustainability Report says estimated 44,000 new jobs created in auto sector in 2013, boosting total jobs past 750,000. Manufacturing-specific jobs grew by 14,000 to more than 160,000. Sector turnover grew 10.3% versus 2012 to £64.1 billion.

1. Commercial vehicle registrations see rise in May.
2. PM to force vote on Juncker nomination.
3. Far-right parties fail to form European Parliament group.
4. Independent Scotland would face £500 million EU bill.
5. Week ahead.

1. New fund to encourage plug-in car use announced.
2. £24 million government tooling fund announced.
3. Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill introduced to Parliament.
4. Chancellor visits McLaren to support STEM.
5. Week ahead.

SMMT’s weekly round-up, including all the latest news from UK automotive and a message from SMMT’s Chief Executive.