UK is Fourth Largest Vehicle Making Nation in Europe

The UK is the fourth largest automotive producer in Europe, building two million engines and one million vehicles in 2009, according to latest Motor Industry Facts book published today (20 April 2010) by SMMT. Full year 2009 used car sales volumes were down only marginally on 2008 to 6,798,864 or 5.4 per cent. Automotive manufacturing is said to account for 10.6 per cent of total UK exports, valued at £26.6 billion.

The 2010 booklet includes further facts and figures on R&D, production, registrations, vehicles in use and their safety and environmental performances. Spanning the sector, statistics on cars, commercial vehicles, buses and coaches demonstrate the major contribution the automotive sector makes to the UK economy.

Based on 2009 market data, some key statistics from Motor Industry Facts 2010 show:

•    The supermini segment took the largest share of the UK new car market with 37.2 per cent
•    The diesel share rose in seven of the nine vehicle segments in 2009 compared with 2008.
•    Total car registrations in 2009 stood at 1,994,999 and commercial vehicles 225,455.

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