British Car Production Down 18% in October

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders in Britain said that Britain’s production of cars fell at an annual rate of 18.2% in October, as the Coronavirus pandemic and lockdown measures continued to affect demand.

October’s performance rounds off an “extremely tough” 10 months for UK carmakers and suppliers, with production down by 33.8% since January, to 743,003 units, a year-on-year shortfall of 379,308 units worth around £10.4 billion, said the SMMT.

The British car industry is also awaiting clarity on trade terms with the European Union, its largest export market, and is facing a ban on selling new gasoline and diesel cars from 2030.