Automotive News – Early May 2025
Estimated reading time 7 minutes
Q1 used car sales surpass two million for first time since 2019.
- Used car market surpasses two million units in Q1 for first time since pre-pandemic 2019.
- Performance caps nine successive quarters of growth as new car market’s gradual recovery fuels availability.
- Battery electric car sales rise by more than half to reach record volume and market share.
The UK’s used car market started the year on a high with 2,020,990 vehicles changing hands in Q1 – the first time sales have breached two million in the first quarter since before the pandemic – according to the latest figures published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Sales grew by 2.7% on the same period last year, capping off nine consecutive quarters of growth as the market responded to greater supply from the new car sector.
Petrol remained the best-selling fuel type, rising 2.1% to 1,149,855 units, while diesel experienced a -3.1% decline to 679,739 units. As a result, ICE cars made up 90.5% of all used transactions in the quarter. However, their combined market share fell 2.4 percentage points on Q1 2024 as more buyers opted for electrified options.
New car market falls in April as tax changes bite.
- New car market declines -10.4% in April with 120,331 units registered.
- Battery electric car registrations rise 8.1% – but market share at 20.4% still significantly below Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate requirement.
- Industry calls for consumer incentives and to boost EV demand as latest 2025 full year market outlook revises BEV share downwards to 23.5%.
The UK’s new car market fell -10.4% in April, with 120,331 units registered, according to the latest data published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). It was the sixth fall in the last seven months, reflecting a fragile economic backdrop and weakened consumer confidence, with 13,943 fewer cars registered in the month compared with the year before and 25.3% behind pre-pandemic April 2019. https://www.smmt.co.uk/new-car-market-falls-in-april-as-tax-changes-bite/
Five months of falling demand for new vans.
- New light commercial vehicle (LCV) deliveries fell -14.9% in April, the fifth consecutive month of decline.
- Demand for new vans of all sizes softens while 4x4s and pick-ups enjoy growth, but April double-cab tax change risks further decline.
- New electric van uptake surges by 77.5% – but still represents just half the 16% market share mandated in 2025.
- Manufacturers continue major investment in greenest model choices, but infrastructure planning overhaul needed to speed up decarbonisation.
UK demand for new light commercial vehicles (LCVs) fell by -14.9% in April with 20,332 vans, 4x4s and pick-ups joining UK roads, according to the latest figures published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). It was the worst April performance since 2020, in part due to the timing of Easter, while it is also traditionally a low volume month and, therefore, subject to fluctuations. More concerningly, the decline marks the fifth consecutive month of falling demand as weak business confidence holds back investment in the very latest models. https://www.smmt.co.uk/five-months-of-falling-demand-for-new-vans/
The CEO of luxury car manufacturer Aston Martin has said the company is currently limiting imports to the US in a bid to offset the impact of President Trump’s newly imposed 25% tariffs.
In its Q1 2025 results, CEO Adrian Hallmark said that Aston Martin is leveraging stock already held by US dealers while the wider ramifications of the tariffs on the global economy remain uncertain.
For the quarter, Aston Martin reported a decline in revenue to £234m, down from £268m in Q1 2024, primarily due to a drop in Special edition vehicle volumes.
Bentley, the Crewe-based luxury car manufacturer, has supplied the biggest fleet of bespoke cars for a world-famous resort in a deal which could be valued up to £2.5m.
The Flying Spur ranges in price from £175,000 to £265,360 each.
The luxury Galaxy Hotel, in Macau, China – one of the world’s largest Forbes double five-star properties – has just taken delivery of nine bespoke Flying Spur sedans to provide in-house chauffeur-driven services for guests.
Two investors in Aston Martin have reduced their stakes in the luxury car manufacturer amid a challenging period.
In a filing with the London Stock Exchange, the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) dropped its stake from 18% to 16.6%. Shufu Li, the Chinese billionaire founder and chairman of Geeley, cut his stake from 15.2% to 14%.
In the last six months, Aston Martin’s share price has dropped by 30% and is now valued at around 80p. https://www.thebusinessdesk.com/westmidlands/news/2097610-aston-martin-investors-trim-stakes-as-share-price-slumps?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=WestMidlands_13th_May_2025_Daily
Zero-emission bus manufacturer Wrightbus has secured a £150m deal with HSBC to increase production, thereby accelerating the decarbonisation of public transport fleets worldwide.
The finance package, which features hedging and working capital support, will double Wrightbus’ existing funding. It is set to support the acceleration of production at the company’s factories in Northern Ireland and Malaysia, offsetting the long time-to-build of its bus products. The funding will also aid the development of new sustainable technologies, as well as broadening the products on offer, Wrightbus stated. It will additionally fund the Rightech and NewPower divisions of the company, which are divisions providing repowering/electric conversion services and battery electric technologies respectively
Japanese carmaker Nissan has said it will cut another 11,000 jobs globally and shut seven factories as it shakes up the business in the face of weak sales.
Falling sales in China and heavy discounting in the US, its two biggest markets, have taken a heavy toll on earnings, while a proposed merger with Honda and Mitsubishi collapsed in February.
The latest cutbacks brings the total number of layoffs announced by the company in the past year to about 20,000, or 15% of its workforce. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyg250pe81o
Jaguar Land Rover Automotive, the luxury car marque, has today (May 13) published strong financial results for the year ended March 31, 2025.
The group, which has manufacturing plants in Halewood, Merseyside, and at Castle Bromwich and Solihull in the West Midlands, achieved a ten-year high for pre-tax and exceptionals profits which hit £2.5bn for the year, a 15% increase, on flat revenues of £29bn. The EBIT (earnings before interest and tax) margin was 8.5% for the year, again, the best achievement in a decade. https://www.thebusinessdesk.com/westmidlands/news/2097645-jlr-ends-financial-year-on-a-high-ready-to-plug-into-an-electric-future?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=WestMidlands_14th_May_2025_Daily
UK-based carmaker Jaguar Land Rover has said it does not intend to produce vehicles in the US, as President Donald Trump’s tariffs impact the motor industry.
“Following articles based on comments made by the JLR CEO in the full year earnings media call, we can confirm we have no plans to build cars in the US,” a spokesperson told the BBC.
Jaguar, which has no factories in the US, paused shipments to the country in April after Trump’s first tariff announcements, before resuming exports to the country this month.
