Car manufacturing rose 10.7% in August compared with the same month last year, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) while year to date production is 4.4% higher than in 2010. Engine production was the best-performing sector, up by 14.4% in August and 4.8% higher over the first eight months of the year. The SMMT's … [Read more...]

Swedish car manufacturer Saab's application for protection from its creditors to help it avoid being pushed into bankruptcy has been rejected by a Swedish court in the Vanersborg district because it did not believe it would work. In response, Swedish trade unions said they could demand that Saab be declared bankrupt within days. Saab had … [Read more...]

August 2011 new car registration figures: New car registrations were up 7.3% in August according to the latest figures released today by the SMMT. 59,346 cars were registered in the month, with the market 7.3% or 4,041 units up on August 2010 and down 6.1% over the year-to-date with August marking the first rise in volumes for 13 … [Read more...]

Car manufacturing rose 1.3% in July and is up 3.7% over the first seven months of 2011. Commercial vehicle output however declined 5.9% in July and was down 5.1% over the January-July period. UK engine production remained stable, dipping just 0.4% in July and up 4.0% for the year-to-date. Vehicle manufacturing is forecast to grow steadily, … [Read more...]

July 2011 new car registration figures: New car registrations fell 3.5% in July according to the latest figures released today by the SMMT. 131,634 cars were registered in the month, with the market 3.5% or 4,812 units down on July 2010 with the market down 6.7% over the year-to-date with July marking the 13th successive monthly decline in … [Read more...]

Volkswagen, Europe’s largest car manufacturer, has set a new record by selling more than 4 million vehicles during the first half of the year. Deliveries increased by 14% on the same period in 2010 and were led by strong growth in Asian markets, mostly in China the region's largest market, where sales grew 19% to 1.26m. Meanwhile European … [Read more...]

ŠKODA has announced record worldwide sales of 454,700 vehicles in the first half of 2011, representing an increase of 20.1% when compared with the same period of 2010. The Czech manufacturer also recorded its best ever June sales with 81,300 vehicles sold (71,300 in June 2010) and a new sales record for the fourth consecutive month. “In … [Read more...]

Sales of passenger vehicles in China, including cars, SUVs, MPVs and minivans, reached 7.1 million units in the first half of this year, up 5.8% year-on-year, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM). In the first 6 months of 2011, sales of passenger vehicles and light commercial trucks totalled 9.3 million units, up … [Read more...]

While the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) has been urging European governments to provide more support to their members and arguing for the relaxation of non-European markets prescriptive trade barriers, Peugeot have been forging a different route to success in the large emerging markets of the east. SAAB seems likely to … [Read more...]

June 2011 new car registration figures: New car registrations fell 6.2% in June according to the latest figures released today by the SMMT. 183,125 cars were registered in the month, with the market 6.2% or 12,101 units down on June 2010 while registrations over the first half of 2011 are down 7.1% to 1,029,638 units. “June new car … [Read more...]

Mark Ovenden has been appointed managing director, Ford of Britain, from August 15, 2011, replacing Nigel Sharp, who, on reaching 65, has elected to retire after 39 years with the company. Mark Ovenden, managing director and president of Ford Russia, returns to Britain after an assignment of almost three years at the head of Europe's fastest … [Read more...]

UK car manufacturing fell by 4.9% in May, but remains up 4.6% over the first five months of 2011 while UK engine production rose by 4.0% in May and was up 5.6% over the first five months of 2011. Following the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, the SMMT forecast earlier this year that there would most likely be a decline in production in Britain … [Read more...]

May 2011 new car registration figures: New car registrations fell 1.7% in May according to the latest figures released today by the SMMT. 150,431 cars were registered in the month, with the market just 1.7% or 2,664 units down on May 2010 while registrations over the first five months of 2011 are down 7.3% to 846,513 units. ‘New car … [Read more...]