Automotive reports

February’s decline in UK vehicle production, down -17.2%,  highlights how difficult conditions are for manufacturers – not just in Britain but across Europe and beyond. Weak global demand for new vehicles, ongoing model changeovers and a major plant restructuring continue to dampen volumes and the immediate outlook is uncertain, particularly since these figures pre-date the crisis in the Middle East, the impact of which, if the conflict is prolonged, could be significant.