The UK’s specialist, low volume car manufacturing industry will enjoy a 60% production boost by 2020, thanks to increasing global demand, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
The UK Specialist Car Manufacturers Report 2017 confirms Britain is home to the largest and most diverse specialist car manufacturing sector in the world, with some of the most globally recognised and iconic brands.
The sector is a global leader in engineering, design and craftsmanship, producing a wide range of cutting-edge products, from high performance sports cars, luxury grand tourers and SUVs, to electric taxis and wheelchair accessible vehicles.
Latest figures show that in 2016 these car makers turned over a collective £3.6 billion, up 52% from 2012. In addition, they employed 11,250 people – an 11.5% increase on five years ago – the majority in highly skilled, specialist roles, while also supporting tens of thousands additional jobs across the supply chain.
Thanks to an increasing number of affluent buyers and new markets taking an increasing interest in performance driving and luxury models, production is on an upward trend. |
This week, McLaren confirmed that the next model to be introduced under its Track22 business plan will be an addition to the Ultimate Series.
Its mission is to be the most extreme, track-concentrated road car McLaren has yet designed and will revealed in the first quarter of 2018, and will be delivered ahead of a second future Ultimate Series model codenamed BP23 which aims to be the world’s first Hyper-GT. |
Output has risen by a quarter (25%) since 2012 and, by 2020, it is forecast to surge 60%, from the current 32,000 units to some 52,000.
The sector is an important contributor to the UK economy, with 65% of the vehicles it produces exported to markets worldwide, including the EU, US, China, Japan and the Gulf States.
Meanwhile, it supports an equally diverse UK supply chain, sourcing, on average, two thirds (65%) of vehicle content from local tier one companies and a further 30% from across the wider EU.