Jaguar Land Rover sells a car every 30 seconds as UK auto sales soar
Jaguar Land Rover sold a car every 30 seconds in March as the UK's auto industry recorded a record month for sales, boosted by motorists trying to beat the launch of new car tax rates.
The West Midlands-based luxury carmaker, with its engine factory in Wolverhampton, sold sold a record 31,767 vehicles in the UK in March, up 26 per cent on March last year.
March also saw the new Discovery Sport overtake the Range Rover Evoque as the fastest-selling Land Rover of all time in the UK, despite the Evoque enjoying its best ever month seven years after it first hit the streets.
Jeremy Hicks, JLR UK managing director, said: “After a record breaking 2016 and start to 2017 we are continuing our momentum with these March figures. In the midst of the current uncertain economic climate it shows that the Jaguar and Land Rover brands are stronger than ever here in the UK.”
“New products are driving this success, with both brands now offering a range of vehicles that suit the lifestyles and appeal to more buyers than ever before. We are no longer an attractive alternative but a serious rival to our established competitors. With new models on their way throughout 2017 this momentum looks set to continue.”
Jaguar Land Rover's expanding sales means good news for its engine factory on the i54 site, on border of Wolverhampton and South Staffordshire, where petrol engines have joined the diesel motor production line and workforce numbers are on target to hit 1,400 this year. Building work has now doubled the size of the plant, which is set to create hundreds more jobs.
Meanwhile car parts factories across the region have been working hard to meet demand as UK car factories run byJLR, Nissan, Vauxhall, Toyota, Aston Martin and Mini tried to keep pace with surging demand.
As motorists seized the opportunity to make a purchase before sweeping tax changes were introduced, some 562,337 new cars were registered last month, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said.
This is up 8.4 per cent compared with March 2016 and is the largest monthly total recorded by the industry.
New vehicle excise duty (VED) rates came into force on April 1 which mean all new cars, except for those with zero emissions, are subject to an annual flat rate charge.
RAC research found the vast majority of drivers buying new cars will pay significantly more following the changes.
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: "These record figures are undoubtedly boosted by consumers reacting to new VED changes, pulling forward purchases into March, especially those ultra-low emission vehicles that will no longer benefit from a zero-rate fee.
"This bumper performance probably means we will see a slowdown in April, exacerbated by the fact there are fewer selling days this year given Easter timing.
"Looking ahead to the rest of the year, we still expect the market to cool only slightly given broader political uncertainties as there are still attractive deals on offer."
