8:31 am, June 17, 2013
BRITAIN could become the second-largest car manufacturer in Europe within the next five years according to leading industry chiefs.
The Chinese market is partly helping to fuel the demand for British-made cars, meaning the factories of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), BMW and Nissan are operating at near full capacity.
BMW’s director of UK operations, Tim Abbott, believes that Britain will produce more cars than France by 2018, if the current trends continue.
Speaking prior to the SMMT Summit in London, he said: ‘All the indications appear to be saying Britain will be second in a few years.
‘It will be about the demand for the cars made in the UK, but that looks to be there judging by the recent performance of the likes of JLR, Nissan and BMW.’
Nissan executive vice president Andy Palmer echoed the prediction, adding: ‘You could see it happening [UK overtaking France] if UK plants are at full capacity, which they are not far off being.’
Last year British factories made 1.5 million cars last year – by 2018 this could rise to two million.
Leading the manufacturing stakes is Germany which churned out 5.5 million cars last year. Meanwhile France built just 1.9 million, due to slowing demand for domestic brands Peugeot, Citroen and Renault.
