For a technology revolution to befall an industry is not unusual. To experience two simultaneously is highly unusual. Yet that is the situation facing the automotive industry and this week has seen some developments on both. The most obvious and familiar is the transition to zero emission mobility – the biggest transformation since the invention […]
The vast majority of fleets purchase vehicles outright and then dispose of the assets privately once they have no more uses vehicles, a new study has revealed. According to RAM Tracking’s Vehicle Buying Survey 2022, just 41% of fleets said they defy fleet conventions and purchase vehicles outright. The second most popular method of funding […]
The classic and specialist car market is thriving – but is it in danger of over-heating? That’s the question Hagerty sets out to answer in its latest market analysis. The latest UK Hagerty Price Guide, published earlier this month, shows widespread gains, coupled with the US Market Rating being at a record high of 78.22. Looking […]
A tumultuous week in government against a backdrop of continuing uncertainty and instability for the industry, is highlighted by the latest registration figures. The semiconductor shortage stifled the new car and van markets in June, even more than last year’s lockdown. Disappointingly, new car registrations were down -24.3% to just 140,948 units, marking the month’s weakest car […]
UK commercial vehicle (CV) production grew 26.5% in the fifth month of 2022, with 7,900 new vans, buses, trucks, coaches and taxis leaving British factory lines, new figures published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show. This meant CV manufacturers recorded their best May performance since 2012, continuing a strong start to […]
UK engine output rises for first time since June 2021 May engine production increases 12.3%, the first growth since June 2021. Output for export grows 26.1% while production for the UK decreases marginally, by -2.1%. Industry calls for measures to help alleviate energy costs, drive investment, and futureproof jobs and skills.1 Mike Hawes, SMMT chief […]
UK car production grew for the first time since June 2021 in May, up 13.3%, with 62,284 units leaving factory gates, according to figures released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). This rise, which comes despite the closure of a major car plant last year, along with key model changeover at another, must, however, be viewed in context against May 2021, which was still suffering significantly from pandemic […]
British automotive manufacturers are calling for urgent action on spiralling costs as new analysis from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reveals firms face a £90m uplift in energy bills this year – equivalent to more than 2,500 automotive jobs – as costs surge by 50%. UK electricity prices are the most expensive […]
SMMT’s International Automotive Summit has embedded itself as a key date in the UK automotive calendar. Taking place on Tuesday 28 June at the IET in London, the Summit brings together attendees from across the entire industry, including vehicle manufacturers, the supply chain and aftermarket, alongside key government officials, adjacent sectors, the media and other stakeholders […]
New UK car registrations fell -20.6% to 124,394 units in the second weakest May since 1992, after the 2020 pandemic-hit market, as supply shortages continued to hamper new purchases and the fulfilment of existing orders, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The decline, compared with the first […]
