UK car production falls in April

According to the automotive trade association, April’s decline in car output was driven by a combination of factors, notably the later timing of Easter, which saw fewer production days in the month, plus model changeovers and lower demand in key export markets. 

Consequently, car production fell -8.6 per cent to 56,534 units. Commercial vehicle output also declined by -68.6 per cent to 2,669 units, driven primarily by a plant closure.

Car production for export fell -10.1 per cent, while production for the domestic market also decreased by -3.3 per cent.

Shipments to the UK’s two largest markets, the EU and US, fell by -19.1 per cent and -2.7 per cent respectively, although the EU still took more than half of all exports while the US received 16.5 per cent. Exports to China and Turkey rose by 44 per cent and 31.2 per cent respectively.

Commercial vehicle export volumes fell by -75.8 per cent with 50.7 per cent of output heading overseas. The decline was driven by a -78.9 per cent drop in shipments to the EU, but the bloc retained the majority of exports at 84.9 per cent. CV output for the domestic market was also down by -54.6 per cent.