July U.K. Car, Engine Output Down by Double Digits

Coming off its best half-year since 2008, the U.K. car build was down 11.2% year-on-year in July as changes to holiday patterns meant the traditional annual shutdown started earlier at some plants.

Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders CEO Mike Hawes says the July performance reflected the normal cyclical falls in output during the summer months, when most manufacturers suspend production to conduct plant maintenance, upgrades and retooling.

“The industry remains in a strong position, with more than 911,000 cars produced so far this year and some significant new-model introductions due in the autumn,” Hawes says in a statement.

Production in July totaled 117,665 units with builds for export down 7.6% to 192,981 units, while output for the local market was down 24.0% at 29,589.

This left the 9-month build down 1.4% at 911,307 units. The export market fell 3.9% to 700,209 units, while output for the domestic market was up 8.0% at 211,098.

Meantime, the build for the small U.K. commercial-vehicle segment jumped 46.3% in July to 9,274 units.

Production for the domestic market was particularly strong, up 137.6% year-on-year to 5,048 units, while the export book edged up 0.3% to 4,226.

The SMMT says July’s figures are a continuation of the recovery made by the CV sector throughout 2015, which has seen production levels grow 32.4% to 57,967 units.

The home-market build rose 42.5% to 29,535 units and export production gained 23.2% to 28,432.

Hawes says engine manufacturing was down year-on-year in July in line with seasonal scheduling in the car-production sector.

The engine build in July fell 10.2% from a year ago to 184,992 units, with export production off 2.3% at 126,904 and output for the domestic market down 23.5% at 58,088.

Year-to-date, U.K. engine production was down 4.2% at 1,449,726 units. The export market fell 3.2% to 945,555 units and the home market dropped 6.0% to 504,171.