British-built Cars More Popular Than Ever as UK Automotive Leaders Unite at Eiffel Tower Ahead of Paris Motor Show

PARIS, September 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

• 8 British-built cars and industry leaders join forces to promote UK Automotive ahead of key Paris motor show.
• UK brands more popular than ever, with exports reaching record levels in 2015, and almost 900,000 cars shipped to global buyers in first eight months of 2016.
• £10 billion invested in UK over past five years to produce new models and enhance UK's position as a centre for engineering excellence.

Eight of the UK's major car brands united today at the Eiffel Tower in Paris on the eve of the key international motor show to demonstrate the diversity and quality of cars currently produced in the UK. Senior executives from British-based manufacturers, including Aston Martin, BMW MINI, Honda, Jaguar, McLaren, Nissan, Toyota, and Vauxhall, were joined by Mark Garnier MP, the British Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for International Trade, to promote the strength of the UK automotive sector to a global audience.

     (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160118/323200LOGO )

The UK Automotive industry has undergone unprecedented growth in recent years - thanks to competitive business conditions, tariff-free trading and significant investment in new models and facilities. Car manufacturing achieved a 10-year high last year, and British-built cars have never been so popular, with a record 1.2 million cars exported to more than 100 countries. Already in the first eight months of 2016, that total looks set to be beaten this year, with exports reaching almost 900,000 vehicles - 13% ahead of the same time in 2015.^[1]

The UK's biggest trading partner is the European Union and 57.3% of UK-produced cars have been exported to the rest of the EU so far this year, followed by 12.1% to the US and 7.1% to China. While the US topped the list of individual countries buying British cars, EU Member States took six of the top 10 places: Germany, Belgium, Italy, France, Portugal and Spain.

Mike Hawes, Chief Executive, SMMT, said, "The UK automotive industry is respected globally for its rich heritage, iconic brands and engineering excellence. More than £10 billion of investment has gone into new facilities and models over the past five years and we're proud to see so many rival brands coming together to promote the strengths of UK automotive ahead of a key international motor show. The future success of this sector will hinge upon the ability of the UK to maintain the business and trading conditions that make the sector so competitive globally."