THE UK MOTOR INDUSTRY
25 April 2006 - SMMT

Get your facts right Motor Industry Facts - 2006 published today

On the first day of the Commercial Vehicle Show, Europe''s biggest business-to-business show of its kind, SMMT is publishing Motor Industry Facts - 2006, the pocket-sized guide to facts and figures for the UK automotive sector.

The fully updated booklet is packed with industry statistics, from registration and production data, to sector profiles and the rising cost of utilities. For the first time, SMMT Facts 2006 contains data on the bus and coach industry; on motorhomes; on engine manufacturing and on the use of satellite navigation and in-car entertainments.

Manufacturing facts:

Last year, UK sites produced 1.8m cars and commercial vehicles and 3.1m engines
During 2005, average electricity costs rose 33.9 per cent, gas costs by 94.4 per cent and crude oil costs by 49.9 per cent
Nissan (Sunderland), Toyota (Burnaston) and BMW MINI (Cowley) were the top three car producers in 2005. GM in the UK topped the commercial vehicle producers list

Car facts:

Total car registrations in 2005 stood at 2,439,717 units
Diesel new car market increased 145 per cent in ten years to 897,887 units
Fleet registrations has risen 16.4 per cent since year 2000
184,490 more new superminis left showrooms in 2005 compared to 10 years ago
Improved CO2 performance greatest among new 4x4s and people carriers
10 million combined new and used car sales in 2005
In 2005, 2.1m in-car entertainment and satellite navigation systems were sold in the UK, a massive 1860 per cent increase in just five years

Commercial Vehicle facts:

In 2005, CV production breaks 206,000 unit level for only the second time since 1999
Total new CV registration stood at 385,969 units last year, up 39.5 per cent in five years
Registrations of new buses and coaches rose 14.8 per cent since 1996
Motorhome registrations jumped 71.8 per cent in last five years
63 per cent of CVs produced in the UK were destined for export markets
SMMT chief executive Christopher Macgowan said, ''Motor Industry Facts - 2006 contains a wealth of useful information on the UK automotive industry. At a challenging time, we hope that the market trends and key safety, security and emissions information remind everyone what a positive, forward-thinking industry we have in the UK.''

Motor Industry Facts - 2006 can be downloaded, for free, at www.smmt.co.uk .

WWW.SMMT.CO.UK

More News
  For April 2006
  From SMMT
  For Research
  Driver247.com Home Page