British car production fell by 2.1% in the first month of 2020, according to figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT);

David Leggett, Automotive Editor at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, offers his view on the decline:

“The year is not off to a strong start with January’s UK car production fall, which underlines the weakness of demand in the home market – production for the UK was down by almost a quarter in January.

“Production for export was up by 4.1%, a bright spot given the overall situation in major export markets – especially China where the coronavirus crisis has brought the economy to a grinding halt.

“As far as UK car output prospects for this year go, much depends on the economic impact of the coronavirus health crisis in major export markets as well as the progress of upcoming negotiations on the future UK-EU trade relationship. That and trade deals with the rest of the world will ultimately set the bar for the competitive position of the UK’s automotive industry on the global stage.”