The automotive sector can be intrinsic to UK economic growth, to decarbonisation and our trade balance but we need the right conditions and a framework for competitiveness. Achieving that growth will not be easy as the global challenges before us are significant and, as a trade intensive industry, the rise in protectionism – retaliatory or […]
Britain’s position as a country with a world renowned and export-led automotive sector has been under the spotlight over the last fortnight with the focus on tariffs, trade and Trump. But Britain should also be characterised by our love of motoring, which continues unabated. Our latest annual census of vehicles – SMMT Motorparc data – […]
New figures released today by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that consumer car finance new business volumes fell in February 2025 by 2% compared with the same month in 2024. The corresponding value of new business grew by 5% over the same period. In the first two months of 2025, new business was […]
The gravity of recent weeks for the UK automotive industry was signified on Monday with the prime minister and chancellor moving quickly to announce – at the production line of one of Britain’s globally renowned car makers – the outcome of government’s Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate and 2030 end of sale consultation. It is a significant […]
The UK automotive industry is an export-led sector that trades with more than 140 countries, and we have a particularly important, long-standing and, indeed, mutually beneficial relationship with the US. Consumers there enjoy vehicles built in Britain by some iconic brands, while thousands of Britons buy cars made in America. So, while Wednesday’s announcement by […]
Growth is a core UK government mission, and making it happen amid intense economic challenges requires ambitious action. Next week’s Spring Statement provides an opportunity for the chancellor to do just that and set out fiscal measures that boost the country’s prospects. The UK automotive sector is perfectly placed to deliver growth, provided the right […]
New figures released today by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that consumer car finance new business volumes fell in January 2025 by 3% compared with the same month in 2024. The corresponding value of new business grew by 4% over the same period. In the twelve months to January 2025, new business was […]
The EV market does not exist in a vacuum, rather a whole ecosystem in which it supports a wide array of industries. And that ecosystem is dependent on volume demand, not market percentages, to thrive. Growing EV volumes means more demand for charging, insurance, maintenance, energy services and choice in the second-hand vehicle market, where […]
The UK may no longer be in the EU but our relationship with the bloc remains critically important. The issue of defence and security looks likely to dominate that relationship and rightly so but we must also remember that our sector, like many others, is integrated operationally, with, in our case, massive volumes of vehicles […]
Automotive manufacturers are facing a perfect storm of international trade uncertainty, challenging manufacturing conditions and a global EV transition that’s proving tougher than expected – issues that affect the UK amid key model changeovers on factory lines. It’s not unexpected, therefore, that the latest SMMT data published this week showed a -17.7% dip in UK vehicle production […]
