Car production in the UK slumped by more than 15% in February, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). It reported that 123,203 vehicles came out of factories during the month, a fall of 15.3% compared with the same month in 2018.
The SMMT said declining demand in the UK and in key European and Asian export markets resulted in output falling for the ninth consecutive month.
Production for home and export markets dropped year-on-year by 11% and 16.4% respectively.
Year-to-date, overall output decreased 16.8%, and while home demand fell 8%, most of the decline came from the fall in manufacturing for export, down by -18.9%.
The SMMT added that weakening demand in key markets continued to affect output, with exports to China down more than half (55.6%) and cars destined for the US down 2.8%.
Meanwhile, production for the EU – the UK’s biggest customer – declined by 14.9%.
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: “The ninth months of decline for UK car production should be a wakeup call for anyone who thinks this industry, already challenged by international trade hostilities, declining markets and technological disruption, could survive a ‘no deal’ Brexit without serious damage.
“A managed no deal is a fantasy. Uncertainty has already paralysed investment, cost jobs and damaged our global reputation.
“Business anxiety has now reached fever pitch and we desperately need parliament to come together to restore stability so that we can start to rebuild investor confidence and get back to the business of delivering for the economy.”