UK auto production plunges in March

30 March 2009

The UK auto industry is still hemorrhaging as car and commercial vehicle production yet again slumped in March with recession forcing leading car manufacturers to cut jobs and shut plants in the wake of declining sales.

Releasing the vehicle production figures for the month of March, The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) data showed that car production slumped by 51.3 per cent, a slight improvement compared to the decline of 59 per cent in February.

The total production of cars for the first quarter came down to 56.6 per cent.

The production figure for commercial vehicles was even worse, down by 57 per cent bringing the first quarter decline to 63 per cent.

Exports of cars declined 52.6 per cent while commercial vehicles declined 51.9 per cent.

New car sales have also fallen, with new registrations for March down 30.5 per cent while sales for the first quarter was down 29.7 per cent.