UK car export values double in decade

SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes has revealed that global markets spent £24.8 billion last year on UK-built cars, compared with £12bn a decade ago. Alongside rising manufacturing volumes, the income surge is largely attributable to the shift to building higher-quality models across the country, doubling the average export value of a car from £10,200 to £20,640. "Countries around the world are spending twice what they were 10 years ago on UK-built cars. This reflects the thriving nature of our domestic industry and our global reputation for engineering expertise,"said Hawes. "With booming production volumes and the increasing value of UK car manufacturing, we are enjoying healthy demand from both growing and established markets. We want this success to continue but urgently need more young people to join our industry, working in every area from design and engineering to manufacturing and retail," he added. UK car manufacturers produced more than 1.5 million cars last year, and are on course to break records by passing the two million barrier by 2017. Around 80% of cars built in the UK are exported, half of which are destined for the rest of the EU.