According to the report from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), UK car manufacturing output fell -18.2% in October, with 110,179 units leaving factory gates. This represented 24,490 fewer cars made than in the same month in 2019 with the impact of coronavirus and fresh lockdowns at home and overseas subduing demand in many key markets.

October’s decline was driven largely by falling exports, particularly to the EU and US, down -19.1% overall and equivalent to a loss of 21,569 vehicles. Shipments to the US fell by -26.0% and to the EU by -25.7%. Major Asian markets fared better, with exports to Japan and China up 57.1% and 9.7% respectively, reflecting less stringent lockdown measures, but this was not enough to offset losses elsewhere. Production for the domestic market also fell, by -13.6% to 18,629 units, with 2,921 fewer cars made for buyers in the UK than a year earlier.

October’s performance rounds off an extremely tough 10 months for UK car makers and suppliers, and production is now down -33.8% since January to 743,003 units – a year on year shortfall of 379,308 units worth some £10.4 billion.