UK car manufacturing is doing roaring trade
NEW models rolling off the production lines helped UK car output surge more than a fifth last month.
Nissan’s Qashqai, BMW’s Mini and Honda’s Civic Tourer contributed to a 21 per cent rise in the number of vehicles built at British factories, said the Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
More than four out of five of the 133,437 cars made in the UK in April went for export with 106,507 shipped overseas.
The total built to date this year was 503,449, up 6.9 per cent on a year earlier.
New model introductions are fuelling growth while Europe – which accounts for about half of exports – is now seeing an upturn in demand
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said the figures showed the UK car manufacturing industry was thriving.
He added: “New model introductions are fuelling growth while Europe – which accounts for about half of exports – is now seeing an upturn in demand.
“As investments continue to be realised we expect further rises in the coming months.
"That’s good news for the thousands of suppliers and employees across the country who rely on this industry.”
Separately luxury car maker Aston Martin Holdings said it was creating 250 jobs as part of a £20million extension to its factory at Gaydon in Warwickshire.