Production of vehicles in the UK rose by eight per cent in 2012, according to data released by the The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
As well as revealing the general healthy state of Britain’s car industry, the figures also show that car export volumes in 2012 broke all-time records.
The industry also spent more on development, with research and development expenditure increasing by nine per cent to £1.7bn. Boosted by this growth, manufacturing jobs rose by two per cent in the automotive sector, to 146,000.
Despite the increases in output and employment, manufacturing emissions fell by three per cent, while the amount of waste sent to landfill was down eight per cent per vehicle produced.
The UK is bucking the overall EU trend of poor sales, confirmed by news last week that sales across the EU have hit a 20-year low.
So far in 2013 the UK has seen year-on-year growth of 9.3 per cent.
SMMT's interim chief executive, Mike Baunton said, "UK automotive continues to support the country's economic recovery, with rising turnover, increased manufacturing output and record export volumes providing further proof of industry's ability to compete on a global scale."
James Lewis-Barned
Join the debate
Add your comment
some of the comments must be made by aliens
I have driven the Evoque twice ,the X3 and Q5 both once and how any one can say it is junk is ludicrous to say the least ,don't beleive they have either looked at it or driven it ,far superior in my opinion to the X3 and Q5 of which these later two are useless for three in the back the tunnel being so intrusive and the seat cushion in the X£ is half the thickness of the Evoque and fells it in comparison not as comfy as the Evoque waiting for the 9 speed auto and new engine .the interior of the Evoque being a fine place to be far superior quality.
80% of Nissan Quashqai's
80% of Nissan Quashqai's (whatever) are exported. In fact theres still a helluva alot of Engineering / manufacture in Britain, from Major companies to the all important small to medium sector. Combined with science and technology. More important than some bankrupt banks me thinks.
Exports
Wouldn't it be good if the same applied to trucks, buses, tractors, construction equipment, etc?
I hope that David Cameron is doing the same thing to encourage Chinese manufacturers to set up factories in the UK (rather than Eastern Europe) in the same way that Mrs Thatch & Co did with the Japanese 30 years ago.