AUTOMOTIVE UK new car registrations fell -22.0% in August, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). 68,033 units were registered in what is traditionally one of the quietest months of the year for new car registrations ahead of the important plate-change in September. The monthly performance was the […]
AUTOMOTIVE UK car production fell sharply last month, marking the worst July performance for the industry since 1956, a trade group has said. The global microchip shortage, staff being affected by the so-called pingdemic, and shutdowns meant just 53,438 cars were built in the month. That was a drop of 37.6% compared to July last […]
AUTOMOTIVE Bentley Motors has posted the company’s 2021 half-year performance, with sales and profit levels unmatched in Bentley’s 102-year history. This includes an operating profit of €178 million, greater than any profit figure posted for a full-year period by the company. Moreover, retail sales increased by 50% from a pre-COVID 2019 figure of 4,785 to […]
AUTOMOTIVE Vauxhall owner Stellantis has announced plans to build electric vans at its Ellesmere Port plant in Cheshire. The £100m investment, which the UK government will contribute to, will safeguard more than 1,000 factory jobs. The future of the plant has been in doubt after Vauxhall’s parent company scrapped plans to build its new Astra […]
AUTOMOTIVE May engine production more than doubles but export growth sluggish UK factories made 116,639 engines in May, more than double May 2020’s output. May 2021 output down -47.6% on five-year average for the month. Year-to-date output rises 18.8% with increased production for the domestic market. https://www.smmt.co.uk/2021/06/may-engine-production-more-than-doubles-but-export-growth-sluggish/ UK commercial vehicle (CV) production increased to 6,243 […]
AUTOMOTIVE Aston Martin’s turnaround is gathering pace as the car maker’s new owners see early signs of progress. Revenues were up 153% to £224.4m in the first quarter of the year, with pre-tax losses narrowly significantly, from £110m to £42m. Executive chairman Lawrence Stroll, who took over last year, said: “I am delighted with the […]
AUTOMOTIVE 141,583 new cars registered in April as showrooms reopened – significantly up on April 2020 when lockdown closed retail and the nation, but still -12.9% down on decade average. The SMMT revised its forecast upwards to 1.86m registrations by end of the year, up 13.9% on 2020. Plug-in vehicles forecast are to account for […]
AUTOMOTIVE UK car production rises on anniversary of pandemic-driven factory shuttering March UK car output grows 46.6% against Covid hit 2020 when pandemic forced factories to close. Monthly performance down -22.8% on five-year March average and Q1 down -4.0% year-on-year. Companies continue to wrestle with global supply chain issues, impact of new EU trading arrangements […]
AUTOMOTIVE Jaguar Land Rover sold 123,483 vehicles in its fourth quarter, 12.4% more than the same time last year, although total sales for the year were 13.6% lower. The luxury car maker, which has manufacturing sites in Halewood, Merseyside, and Castle Bromwich and Solihull in the West Midlands, revealed its China sales were up 127% […]
AUTOMOTIVE Nissan announces plans for major expansion of renewable energy at Sunderland Plant. The Proposal would generate enough power to build every Nissan LEAF sold in Europe, as Nissan heads towards a carbon-neutral future. Nissan has announced plans for a major expansion to renewable energy generation at its record-breaking plant in Sunderland, UK. Complementing the […]
