Recent figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) have revealed that more and more British buyers are opting for cars that have been built in the UK. Around 13.9% of consumers have opted for a ‘home-grown’ vehicle, which is the highest proportion in five years.
The UK automotive industry turned over a massive £59.3 billion in 2012. It accounts for 10% of all UK exports, with more than 2.5 million cars produced, according to the SMMT. Global industry is investing more and more in UK manufacturing, which is a welcome boost to British economy and employment figures.
In March, Honda unveiled plans for a £200million investment in its Swindon-based factory, to turn it into a global manufacturing hub for its top-selling Civic. Other brands have showed equal confidence in British manufacturing capabilities, including Jaguar Land Rover, which is investing £600million at its West Midlands operations.
The news that British people are remaining loyal to UK-built brands comes at the same time as the SMMT has announced record new car sales figures in the UK for the first half of 2015. Registrations increased by 7% to 1.38million and June was marked as the 40th successive month of rising sales. This is great news for the used car industry too, as these motors will filter down to the second-hand car market, ensuring a fresh supply of vehicles and buoyant turnover of stock.
British car brands that remain popular with buyers include Morgan Motor Company, Caterham Cars and McLaren Automotive. Many other household-name companies build cars in Britain too, despite not being UK-owned. These include MINI, Honda, Toyota, Rolls Royce, Jaguar Land Rover, Vauxhall Motors and MG Motors.
The ongoing interest in British motors and manufacturers is great news for the used car market, with UK-built models, such as the MINI Clubman, Honda Civic, Toyota Auris, Nissan Qashqai and Vauxhall Astra remaining popular with new and used car buyers for their quality, performance and value retention. Many customers also like the fact that they are ‘buying British’ and are proud to choose UK-built models for their next second-hand car.
