UK Car Manufacturing Suffers Least-Productive Year Since 1984

As with most industries, 2020 was a bad year for UK car manufacturing. In fact, as Statista’s Martin Armstrong notes, it was a very bad year.

The latest output figures released by SMMT today put the sector down at a level last seen in the 80’s. In total, 920,928 cars rolled off the production lines, representing a decrease of almost 30 percent compared to 2019 and troublingly close to the 908,906 chalked up in 1984.

You will find more infographics at Statista

Underscoring the graveness of the situation, Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said:

“These figures, the worst in a generation, reflect the devastating impact of the pandemic on UK automotive production, with Covid lockdowns depressing demand, shuttering plants and threatening lives and livelihoods.”

Adding:

“The industry faces 2021 with more optimism, however, with a vaccine being rolled out and clarity on how we trade with Europe, which remains by far our biggest market.”

Indeed, the EU is by far the largest importer of UK-produced cars, accounting for 54 percent of those made in 2020.

In comparison, second-placed United States took 18 percent and China were third with just 8 percent.