LONDON--U.K. car manufacturing has recorded its biggest
nine-month rise in six years, boosted by the launch of new models
and a recovering market in Europe, despite falling in September
because of planned re-tooling for model changes.
In September, 137,068 cars were manufactured, down 2.8% from
141,056 in September 2013, bringing the total for this year to date
to 1.13 million, up 0.6% from a year earlier, said the U.K. Society
of Motor Manufacturers and Traders on Thursday.
The launch of a number of new models by U.K. manufacturers
helped to lift the industry's performance this year, as well as a
strong home market and recovering demand in Europe. Premium cars
also have done well in emerging markets, especially the Far East,
said SMMT.
New models that have started production over the last year in
Britain are the new Mini Hatch (three-door and five-door), Honda
Civic Tourer, Nissan's new Qashqai and Juke, and the Rolls-Royce
Wraith. In addition, the new Land Rover Discovery Sport entered
production last week, and the new Jaguar XE also recently started
production.
Of those manufactured in September, 102,947 cars were exported,
bringing the export total so far this year to 884,124, a fall of
0.1% compared with the corresponding period last year.
"The continued investment by the sector into new models means
the September figures took a slight dip as some plants underwent
re-tooling, but it is these same new models which will help
increase production volumes in the future," SMMT chief executive
Mike Hawes said.
Around 75%-80% of total cars produced in the U.K. are exported.
About 50% of those are exported to countries within the European
Union, with the balance exported elsewhere around the world.
China's share of U.K. car exports has been growing in recent
years.
Industry experts have forecast that the U.K. will be making more
than 2 million cars a year by 2017, higher than the all-time record
of 1.92 million in 1972. In 2013, the number of cars manufactured
rose 3.1% to 1.51 million units, compared with 1.46 million in
2012, the highest level since 2007, driven by both home demand and
exports outside Europe. The SMMT has forecast that U.K. car
production will rise to 1.6 million cars in 2014.
Write to Ian Walker at ian.walker@wsj.com
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