UK car production of 170,691 units makes March best month since 2000
On April 27, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) announced that growth in demand for British-built cars led to the best month for UK car production since 2000, increasing 7.3% over the previous year to 170,691 units.
Production of 471,695 units for the first three months of 2017 increased 7.6% over the same period in 2016.
Exports grew 10.6% to 130,838 units in March 2017 as units for domestic consumption fell 2.2% to 39,853 units.
In the first three months of 2017, exports of UK-made cars grew 11.5%, with 367,670 units shipped abroad, offsetting a decrease in domestic demand of 4.3% to 104,025 units.
Production of commercial vehicles in the month declined 4.3% from March 2016 to 8,041 units.
Similar to car production, exports grew 7.8% to 4,885 units as production for domestic consumption fell 18.4% to 3,156 units.
Combined commercial vehicle production for the first three months of 2017 decreased 0.7% from the same period in 2016 to 23,483 units.
Engine production for March 2017 grew 19.5% from last year to 271,359 units, as exports increased 18.0% to 153,206 units and domestic production increased 21.4% to 118,153 units.
Overall engine production for the first three months of 2017 increased 11.4% to 744,338 units.