SMMT News

SMMT’s weekly round-up, including all the latest news from UK automotive and a message from SMMT’s Chief Executive. CLICK HERE: SMMT Update 310 online.

Caterham is showing the strength of its sports car arm in a two week exhibition at SMMT’s headquarters in Westminster. Featuring the AeroSeven concept, as well as the Seven 160 and Supersport SV, the display highlights the rapid pace of development taking place among the group.

1. 2014 Budget delivered
2. UK vehicle manufacturing dips in February
3. CBI & EEF report that UK manufacturing remains robust
4. Week ahead

1. ENVI committee agrees Council position on sound level of motor vehicles
2. TRAN committee adopts report on maximum weights and dimensions of vehicles
3. EU new car registrations grow 8% in February
4. EUCAR publishes ideas on implementation of Horizon 2020
5. Position on simplifying transfer of motor vehicle in the Single Market adopted
6. Week ahead

The UK automotive manufacturing industry is already responding to Chancellor George Osborne’s Budget announcement, which called for the country to produce and export more. This week, a number of car, commercial vehicle and engine manufacturers have announced new investments and business contracts.

Based on POLK data, which are preliminary in some cases, passenger vehicle registrations were up around 6.1% in February against the year before. With a slight gain in January, total registrations in the first two months of the year were…

February UK engine manufacturing was 2.4% behind 2013 levels at 220,466 units as plants wait for full-scale vehicle output. Output for export rises 3.9% in the month growing the export share to 64% of production.

Commercial vehicle (CV) manufacturing output fell 22.1% in February to 6,235 units, this marked the eighth successive monthly drop and left year-to-date volumes down 18.4%.

UK car manufacturing output remained just behind 2013 levels, slipping 2.7% in February to 133,730 units; 2014-to-date production down 1.4% at 262,645 units.
As export volumes rise (+3.5%), SMMT estimates the average car export value has risen more than 70% between 2007 and 2013, to over £20,000.

Budget 2014 delivered a series of key measures to support UK manufacturing as part of a balanced industrial strategy, taking steps to encourage investment and exports.