The feathers are about to fly in Britain’s all-electric car market after the entry of a new Chinese brand this spring. The GWM ORA Funky Cat First Edition is being imported from £31,995 by a part of the IM Group, which is already well known through its Subaru and Isuzu distribution and its supply of assured parts for the Mitsubishi marque, which pulled out of direct UK sales three years … [Read more...]
UK Automotive crashes to 66 year low
UK car production last year fell to its lowest level since 1956, according to annual statistics from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. It said a total of 775,014 cars were built in 2022 – a 9.8 per cent slump on the 859,575 made during the previous year, when the recession and pandemic were still gripping businesses. The industry blamed the global shortage of semiconductors and … [Read more...]
Newslines 27 January: Ford to make big job cuts
A massive jobs cull in Germany and other European countries is expected by the union representing Ford workers. Some positions are expected to be axed in the UK as well while the US car maker transitions towards a fully electric range from 2025, initially slashing over 3,200 jobs in Ford of Europe, and realigning with R&D in America. Bentley Motors announced a recruitment drive creating 200 … [Read more...]
Little vans in short supply
Throughout 2022 franchised dealers have reported strong demand for light commercial vehicles under 3.5 tonnes, but the continued restrictions to component supply have frustrated manufacturers in their ability to produce sufficient new vehicles to match orders, said Sue Robinson, Chief Executive of the National Franchised Dealers Association. In 2022, total LCV registrations fell by … [Read more...]
The shock of ev prices falling after Tesla cut
Over priced electric cars are seeing values collapse. Electric car drivers need to protect themselves from volatility in the used car market, following Tesla’s dramatic decision last week to slash the prices of its two best selling cars, the Model 3 and Model Y, by up to £8,000. Steve Tigar, CEO and Founder of loveelectric, said cuts on this scale could undermine the value of secondhand cars, … [Read more...]
Tradelines 25 January: Make or break year for EVs
It could be a make or break year for smaller ev makers, reports Reuters UK. Tesla's 20% price cut worldwide last week has led to surge in demand from its German factory supplying Europe but at the same time put pressure on main rivals to reduce prices while some ev startups may be unable to match them and risk losing investments and sales, or worst still, seeing them go out of business. The … [Read more...]
Ford Puma leads but Welsh car sales still low
New car sales in Wales last year rose just 1.09% to 57,557 registrations, said the SMMT. They were helped by a 15.33% increase in December to 4,026 compared to the same month in 2021. Ford dominated the market but MG was very close to them. Wales Top Ten 2022 Ford Puma 1955 Ford Kuga 1341 MG ZS. 1319 MG HS. 1292 Ford Fiesta 1235 Nissan Qashqai 1209 Dacia Sandero 1167 Toyota … [Read more...]
Best Used Cars of 2022
Hatchbacks and city cars were the fastest selling used models of 2022, according to the latest ranking by AA Cars. The Ford Fiesta has retained its title of the most popular car overall for the eighth year in a row. The trend for smaller vehicles in this year’s fastest selling list reverses 2021’s ranking, in which eight of the top 10 quickest selling models were SUVs. The surging popularity of … [Read more...]
EVs overtake diesels in 2022 UK market
New car registrations continued to improve in December and the market in Britain reached 1.61M, but still the lowest in three decades. The UK new car market recorded its fifth consecutive month of growth in December, with an 18.3% increase to reach 128,462 new registrations, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Hidden in the figures was the fact … [Read more...]
Britons love Chinese drive away evs
China is becoming a major exporter of electric cars to Europe and Britain. Exports of electric vehicles from China more than doubled in November, creating a monthly record, mostly fueled by European automakers who have set up factories in the country. Car manufacturers in China exported $3.2 billion worth of electric vehicles in November, up 165 percent from a year ago to reach the highest-ever … [Read more...]