HOME WEB NEWS IMAGES CLASSIFIEDS YELLOW PAGESPOLLS - SURVEYS WIKI COUNTRIES PHOTOS US UK INDIA
Cities Stocks Weather Movies Coupons Travel Blogs Health Horoscope Maps ASIA EUROPE Classifieds Yellow Pages
 1
|
Contents |
The British motor industry started when Frederick Simms became friends with Gottlieb Daimler, who had, in 1885, patented a design for an internal combustion engine. Simms bought the patent rights for the engine and in 1893 he founded a company, The Daimler Motor Syndicate Ltd, to build boats using the engine. In 1895 Harry J. Lawson bought-out Simms\' interests in the engine, after realising its potential for road vehicle use. Lawson bought a site in Coventry for car engine and chassis manufacture, and on 1896-01-14 founded the Daimler Motor Company there which made Britain\'s first serial production car.Daimler: History.
Early motor vehicle development in the UK was hindered by a series of laws introduced during the 19th century, referred to as the Red Flag Act, which severely restricted the use of mechanically propelled vehicles on the public highway. Following intense lobbying from motor vehicle enthusiasts, including Harry J. Lawson of Daimler, the worst restrictions of these acts, the need for each vehicle to be accompanied by a crew of three, and a 2 mph (3.2 km/h) speed limit in towns, was lifted by the Locomotives on Highways Act 1896. In this act light locomotives (those vehicles under 3 tons unladen weight) were exempt from the previous restrictions, and a higher speed limit - 14 mph (23 km/h) was set for them. To celebrate the new freedoms, Lawson organised the first London to Brighton run, the "Emancipation Run", which was held on 1896-11-14. Setright, L. J. K. (2004). Drive On!: A Social History of the Motor Car. Granta Books. ISBN 1-86207-698-7.
The early British vehicles of the late 19th century relied mainly upon developments from Germany and France. By 1900 however, the first all-British 4-wheel car had been designed and built by Herbert Austin as an employee of the Wolseley Sheep Shearing Company (later becoming the Wolseley Motor Company) in Birmingham.Church, Roy (1995). The rise and decline of the British motor industry. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-55770-4.
The pioneering car producers, many of them from the bicycle industry, got off to a shaky start. Of the 200 British makes of car that had been launched up until 1913, only about 100 of the firms were still in existence. In 1910 UK vehicle production was 14,000 units. By 1913 Henry Ford had built a new factory in Manchester and was the leading UK producer, building 7310 cars that year, followed by Wolseley at 3000, Humber (making cars since 1898 in Coventry) at 2500, Rover (Coventry car maker since 1904) at 1800 and Sunbeam (producing cars since 1901) at 1700, with the plethora of smaller producers bringing the 1913 total up to about 16,000 vehicles.King, Peter (1989). The Motor Men. Quiller Press. ISBN 1-870948-23-8.
Car production virtually came to an end during the war years 1914–1918, but the pressure of war production encouraged the development of mass-production techniques in the motor industry. By 1922 there were 183 motor companies in the UK, and by 1929, following the slump years, there were 58 companies remaining.Baldwin, N. (1994). A-Z of Cars of the 1920s. Devon, UK: Bay View Books. ISBN 1-870979-53-2. In 1929 production was dominated by Morris (founded by William Morris in 1910 in Oxford) and Austin (founded by Herbert Austin in Longbridge in 1905 after he left Wolseley) who between them produced 60% of the UK output. Singer (Coventry motorcycle manufacturer started building cars in 1905) followed in third place that year with 15% of production.
In 1932 Britain overtook France as Europe\'s largest car producer (a position it stayed in until 1955). By 1937 the UK was producing 380,000 vehicles per annum. To celebrate the granting of his peerage, William Morris upon becoming Viscount Nuffield, reorganised his motor vehicle companies in 1938, which by then included not only Morris Motors and MG, but also Wolseley and Riley (bicycle company founded in Coventry in 1890 and making cars since 1913), into the Nuffield Organisation. In 1939 the top producers were Morris: 27%, Austin: 24%, Ford: 15%, Standard (founded in Coventry in 1903): 13%, Rootes (which had acquired Humber and Sunbeam): 11%, Vauxhall (building cars since 1903, acquired by GM in 1925): 10%.
During World War II car production gave way to commercial and military vehicle production, and many motor vehicle plants were used for aircraft and aero engine production. Following the war the government controlled the supply of steel, and priority was given to supplying foreign-revenue-raising export businesses. In 1947 steel was available only to businesses with 75% of production being exported. This, coupled with the inevitable limited competition from Europe, and with demand for new vehicles in America and in Australia being greater than the American industry alone could supply, resulted in British vehicle exports reaching record levels. Britain became the world\'s biggest motor vehicle exporter. In 1937 Britain provided 15% of world vehicle exports, by 1950, a year in which 75% of British car production and 60% of its commercial vehicle production was exported, Britain provided 52% of the world\'s exported vehicles. This situation remained until the mid-1950s, by which time the American industry production had caught up with American demand, and European production was recovering. By 1952 the American owned producers in the U.K. (Ford and GM\'s Vauxhall) had between them a 29% share of the British market, which exceeded the share of either of Britain\'s top two manufacturers. It was in that context that Viscount Nuffield agreed to the merger of his company, the Nuffield Organisation, with Austin, to form the British Motor Corporation (BMC). Thus BMC, comprising Austin, Morris, MG, Riley and Wolseley was formed in 1952 and commanded a 40% share of the British market. German production was increasing yearly, and by 1953 it had exceeded that of France, and by 1956 it had overtaken that of Britain.
By 1955 five companies produced 90% of Britain\'s motor vehicle output: BMC, Ford, Rootes, Standard-Triumph and Vauxhall. Of the dozen or so small producers Rover and Jaguar were strong niche producers. During 1960 Britain dropped from being the world\'s second largest motor vehicle producer into third place. Labour-intensive methods, and wide model ranges reduced the opportunities to reduce manufacturing costs - Britain\'s unit costs were higher than those of their major European and American competitors.Timothy R. Whisler (1999). The British Motor Industry 1945-1994. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-829074-8. Although rationalisation of motor vehicle companies had started, full integration did not occur. BMC continued to produce vehicles under the marque names of its incorporated companies, many of which competed with each other.Michael Stratton (2000). Twentieth Century Industrial Archaeology. Spon Press. ISBN 0419246800. Standard-Triumph\'s attempts to reduce costs by embracing a modern volume production strategy almost led to their bankruptcy in 1960, the result was that they were purchased by the commercial vehicle manufacturing company Leyland Motors. In 1966, BMC and Jaguar came together, to form British Motor Holdings (BMH). Leyland had achieved some sales success with Leyland-Triumph and in 1967 it acquired Rover. By 1966 Britain had slipped to become the world\'s fourth largest motor vehicle producer. Following a gradual process which had began in 1964, Chrysler UK (CUK) had fully acquired Rootes by 1967. In the context of BMC\'s wide, complex, and expensive-to-produce model range, and Ford\'s conventionally designed Cortina challenging the number one spot in the domestic market, and the heavy reliance of the British economy on motor vehicle production, in 1968 the Government brokered the merger of the successful Leyland-Triumph-Rover and the struggling BMH, to form Europe\'s fourth largest car maker, the British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC). The new company announced its intention to invest in a new volume car range, and to equip its factories with the latest capital-intensive production methods.
During this era, British carmakers came up with a number of new products which revolutionised the car market.
The 1959 Mini - designed by Alec Issigonis and built by the British Motor Corporation - was an innovative mini-car which offered space and comfort for four people in a vehicle less than ten feet long. It initially featured just an 848 cc engine capable of 70 mph (110 km/h) and returning impressive fuel economy, but the 1275 cc Mini Cooper of 1963 made a huge impact on the rally scene and in 1969 featured in The Italian Job film.
1959 also saw the launch of the Ford Anglia, a small two-door saloon with quirky styling that was initially greeted with some scepticism from buyers who favoured the relatively conventional likes of the Morris Minor and Austin A35. It sold well right up to its demise in 1967, on the launch of the Escort - a more modern design which had a wider range of bodystyles and engines, as well as making a name for itself in international rallies.
The instant and huge sales success of the Mini meant that rival carmaker Ford could not develop a mini-car because the production cost would be too high. So it decided to create a competitor in the medium-sized car market. The Cortina - launched in 1962 with distinctive "rear wing" styling - immediately gained popularity among family motorists and in 1967 was Britain\'s best-selling new car.
Jaguar made headlines in 1961 with the launch of its E-Type sports coupé and soft top "roadster", which had sleek looks and 145 mph (233 km/h) performance to match the exclusivity of foreign products from the likes of Ferrari and Maserati. Though a very rare car in comparison with more humble products from the likes of Ford and BMC, it was arguably the most desirable British car to be built during the 1960s and was still highly favoured as the 1970s dawned.
By 1968 UK motor vehicle production was dominated by four companies: BLMC, Chrysler (UK), Ford, and Vauxhall (GM). The national champion, BLMC, was handicapped in its attempts to modernise by internal rivalries. Unattractive new products, retention of legacy marques and models, labour disputes, quality issues, supplier problems and inefficient use of new equipment thwarted the dream of efficient high volume production. Increased overseas competition, arising from lowered tariffs and membership of the European Union, and high unit costs, led to low profits, which in turn jeopardised investment plans. BLMC\'s share of the UK market dropped from 40% to 32% between 1971 and 1973. By 1974 Britain\'s position as a world motor vehicle manufacturer had dropped to sixth place. In 1974 both BLMC and Chrysler UK appealed to the Government for financial help. The Government rejected the idea of a BLMC/CUK merger, and instead CUK received a loan and BLMC was subjected to a series of studies to determine its future. The Government\'s official BLMC enquiry, led by Lord Ryder, suggested that BLMC\'s strategy was sound, but required huge Government investment to improve productivity by providing mechanisation and improving labour relations. Despite the effective nationalisation of BLMC as British Leyland (BL) in 1975, the recovery never happened. Chrysler sold its European interests (including those in the UK) to Peugeot in 1977, to allow it to concentrate on its own difficulties in America. The UK interests were renamed Peugeot-Talbot.Jeffrey A. Hart (1993). Rival Capitalists. Cornell University Press. ISBN 0801499496.
British Leyland was perhaps the most hard-hit of the four major British carmakers during the 1970s. Sales remained strong throughout the decade, but the reputation of its model range slumped dramatically. The 1971 Morris Marina - a medium-sized range of saloons, coupés and estates based around the running gear of the Morris Minor - was slated by the motoring press for its suspect build quality and unimaginative design, even though it was regularly Britain\'s third or fourth best selling car throughout its nine-year production life. Another car to receive heavy criticism was the 1973 Austin Allegro, a smaller saloon which was a more contemporary design but faced heavy criticism for its bulbous styling, doubtful build quality and indifferent reliability. On a more positive note, its Rover SD1 executive car was praised on its launch in 1976 for its modern hatchback design, and was credited European Car of the Year. But the Rover SD1 alone was inadequate for reversing British Leyland\'s declining fortunes and as the end of the decade approached there seemed to be much doubt as to whether the company could stay afloat.
Ford overtook British Leyland as Britain\'s best-selling make of car in 1975. The key factor in its progress was the high-volume sales success of the Ford Cortina, which first topped the sales charts in MK3 guise for 1972 and retained pole position following the launch of an updated model in 1976. Ford also entered the modern mini-car market in 1976 with the launch of the Spanish-built Fiesta three-door hatchback, which was also its first front-wheel drive car. The upmarket Granada range of saloons and estates (launched in 1973) were also popular among fleet buyers in particular.
Vauxhall was falling behind Ford and even British Leyland in the sales charts come the early 1970s. Its entry-level Viva was the only product which came anywhere near matching the dominance of the Ford Escort and Austin Allegro in its sector, with larger models falling a long way behind their competitors. General Motors responded to this with two major new car launches during 1975. The first was the Chevette - the first British-built small hatchback. It offered a wide range of bodystyles and was instant sales success. The Cavalier followed later in the year, and came closer than anything else to matching the soaring sales success of the Ford Cortina.
The Rootes Group became Chrysler UK in 1970 following the takeover by American carmaker Chrysler. Despite influence from across the Atlantic, the Hillman range of family cars remained popular with British buyers and this popularity continued after 1976, when the entire range was rebadged as Chryslers but by 1978, Chrysler was facing huge financial difficulties and fears were growing that its European operations would soon be ceasing.
Foreign imports began to gain ground in Britain during the 1970s. The iconic Volkswagen Beetle, gradually upgraded since its pre-Second World War launch, was a strong seller in spite of its great age, and the modern Golf arrived on British shores early in 1975, impressing buyers with its trendy design and solid build. The smaller Polo arrived towards the end of 1976, giving buyers a standard of quality in a small car that British competitors could not match. The 1973 Passat, while a slower seller than the smaller Volkswagens, was undoubtedly the most modern competitor in the Cortina class thanks to its front-wheel drive chassis and practical hatchback body style.
The Japanese Datsun range (produced by Nissan) also proved popular in Britain, with its Cherry and Sunny models finding a ready market thanks to their reliability, economy, ease of driving and good levels of equipment. Rust, however, was a major problem on these otherwise very good cars.
The hatchback bodystyle rose in popularity during the 1960s. The first British hatchback had been the 1969 Austin Maxi, but over the next eight years the Chrysler Sunbeam, Chrysler Alpine, Ford Fiesta, Vauxhall Chevette and Rover SD1 spearheaded a rise in sales for hatchbacks of all sizes.
In spite of a rise in demand for smaller and more economical cars in the mid 1970s due to the recent oil crisis, the large Ford Cortina was still firmly established as Britain\'s most popular new car.
By the end of the 1970s Ford, Peugeot-Talbot and Vauxhall (GM) were well integrated with their parent companies\' other European operations. BL stood alone in the UK as an increasingly junior player. As part of the drive for increased productivity in the late 1970s, BL reduced its workforce and number of plants, and strived to centralise its management activities. In 1979 BL struck a collaboration deal with Honda to share the development and production of a new mid-sized car (Triumph Acclaim/Honda Ballade). The new car combined Honda engine and transmission designs with a BL body. Although the UK political scene changed in 1979 with the election of the Thatcher government, the Government continued to support BL with funds for the development of a new mass-market model range (Mini Metro, Maestro, Montego and another Honda collaboration the Rover 800). Car assembly, with the exception of Jaguars, was concentrated into two central plants - Longbridge and Cowley. In July 1986 BL was renamed the Rover Group.
The Austin Metro was hailed by many as the saviour of British Leyland when it went on sale in October 1980. It was based around much of the Mini\'s drivetrain and suspension but used an entirely different hatchback body which was more spacious, comfortable and practical. Sales were strong from the start and it was Britain\'s most popular mini-car for the first three years of its production, and even after being overtaken by the Ford Fiesta it was still hugely popular. The larger Maestro and Montego were less successful but still sold reasonably well, as did the Honda-based Triumph Acclaim and its successor - the Rover 200. Both of the latter products were the result of the Honda venture and showed that British Leyland and its successor organisation Austin Rover could still build solid and reliable cars.
Ford also scored a huge success at the same time as British Leyland made the headlines with the Metro. This success came in the shape of the MK3 Escort. Its small family car range retained the traditional nameplate but made the transition from rear-wheel drive saloon to front-wheel drive hatchback. Sales were higher than ever before, and in 1982 it began a long run at the top of the British car sales charts. It was joined in 1983 by the Orion - a four-door saloon version, initially only available with upmarket trim levels.
Another iconic Ford motor car of the 1980s was the 1982 Sierra - successor to the long-running Cortina and a design revolution. Its aerodynamic styling was a world ahead of many other competitors at the time, and its hatchback styling was a brave step to take after year upon year of saloon-only Cortinas. Like the Cortina, however, it was also available as an estate car and even retained rear-wheel drive at a time when front-wheel drive was being adopted by many other manufacturers of similar-sized cars.
Vauxhall\'s regeneration continued with the launch of the Astra hatchback in late 1979, ending 16 years of Viva production and halting the sale of conventional three-box rear-wheel drive saloons in favour of modern front-wheel drive hatchbacks. It was a major success in the UK, and its successor (launched in 1984) continued this achievement. The Cavalier made the transition to front-wheel drive and hatchback bodystyles (though a saloon was still available) in 1981, and by 1984 was established as the second most popular car in Britain, gaining a massive 10% share of the new car market at its peak.
Chrysler\'s financial problems saw their European division sold to French carmaker Peugeot in 1979, with its range being remarketed under the Talbot marque, which had been dormant since the 1950s when it was last used by the Rootes Group. The modern Horizon hatchback had been European Car of the Year for 1979, but sales were disappointing and it ceased production for the British market in 1985, as the Talbot range was phased out until finally disappearing during 1986. The Ryton plant was kept active by the launch of its 309 hatchback.
The late 1970s to mid 1980s saw further increase in the popularity of foreign cars on the British market. Nissan\'s already impressive sales success achieved with its Datsun range of cars continued with the re-branding of the range as Nissans in 1983, with its new Micra supermini being a huge success thanks to its solidity, reliability and ease of driving. Its latest Sunny and Bluebird models were also strong sellers.
Volkswagen\'s market share increased further with the launch of the second generation of its groundbreaking Polo and Golf, with the Golf being a particularly desirable family car during this era.
Peugeot\'s takeover of Talbot coincided with a rise in popularity of its own products, with the 1983 205 supermini being an enormous success thanks to its distinctive Pininfarina-penned styled and class-leading ride and handling.
1983 also saw the introduction of the Fiat Uno, which achieved enormous sales success that was unmatched by any previous Italian car sold in Britain.
British buyers were treated to a purpose-built MPV for the first time in 1985, with French carmaker Renault launching its innovative Espace.
Citroen, now part of the Peugeot group, were now building more conventional cars that it could hope to sell in higher volumes, and its 1983 BX was one of the most popular foreign imports in Britain during the mid 1980s.
Smaller cars gained popularity in the early to mid 1980s, with the Austin Metro, Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall Nova now firm favourites with British buyers. The largest sector in the country was now very much the small family car market, dominated by the Ford Escort and complimented by the Vauxhall Astra, Austin Maestro, Rover 200 and Ford Orion. There was, however, still very high demand for the traditional larger cars such as the Ford Sierra, Vauxhall Cavalier and Austin Montego. These British products were still very much established as market leaders, though foreign brands like Volkswagen, Peugeot, Fiat and Nissan were starting to muscle in on them.
In July 1986, Nissan became the first Japanese carmaker to set up a production facility in Europe. Its efficient new plant at Sunderland breathed new life into an area that had seen spiralling unemployment levels due to the demise of the local shipbuilding industry as well as a substantial decline in coalmining. The plant initially churned out just one model - the Bluebird and from 1990 its successor, the Primera - until the launch of the MK2 Micra in 1992. This helped Nissan strengthen its position as a popular brand in the UK, and the firm\'s determination to build more cars that were orientated towards European buyers strengthened in 1999 upon a venture with French carmaker Renault.
Peugeot had abandoned the Talbot badge on passenger cars by 1987, though it was retained on commercial vehicles for some five years afterwards. But this did not mean the end of carmaking at Ryton. Peugeot beat Nissan to becoming the first foreign carmaker to assemble cars in the UK, with the first 309 hatchback rolling off the Ryton production line in January 1986. The 309 was a popular choice among buyers who wanted a viable alternative to the British-built Ford Escort, Vauxhall Astra and Austin Maestro, and it was joined at Ryton by the larger 405 at the end of 1987. By 1990, Peugeot was firmly established as one of the most favoured car brands in Britain and the marque went from strength to strength as the decade progressed, with the subsequent Ryton-built 306 and 206 ranges both selling in high figures.
Honda\'s venture with Austin Rover and the post-1989 Rover Group saw a number of different designs shared between the two marques, though the Rover products always outsold their Honda equivalents by a wide margin. The venture finished in February 1994 when Rover Group ownership was transferred from British Aerospace to German carmaker BMW. For the first time in some 90 years, Britain was without an independent mass production carmaker. BMW\'s ownership of the Rover Group saw the development of several newer, more upmarket models, giving the British brand an image to match that of its parent company. BMW also revived the MG brand in 1995 on a new affordable sports car, the MGF, as well as strengthening Land Rover\'s position in the off-roader market. But the Rover range was starting to lose its popularity by the end of the decade, and BMW controversially sold off the Rover Group in May 2000. It retained the rights to build the forthcoming new Mini, while selling Land Rover to Ford. The MG and Rover marques were sold to the Phoenix Consortium, who branded the remains of the group as MG Rover and concentrated all production at the Longbridge plant. For the first time in six years, Britain had an independent mass production carmaker.
Even after the split from Rover, Honda continued making the Civic range in the UK at a new plant in Swindon.
Toyota opened a new plant near Derby at the beginning of 1992, and this modern facility was at least a match for the Nissan plant at Sunderland in terms of efficiency.
Ford continued to produce and sell cars in huge numbers throughout the 1980s and 1990s, and by 2000 it had completed 25 years as the nation\'s most popular brand of car. It was operating plants at Dagenham in London, Halewood on Merseyside and Bridgend in South Wales, as well as importing some of its range from factories in Spain, Belgium and Germany. Ford had also taken over Jaguar in October 1989, and revived quality control standards which had declined during the days of British Leyland and subsequent independent ownership. Fears about the firm\'s future in Britain grew in 1998 when it was confirmed that the Escort\'s successor - the Focus - would be produced in Germany and not in the UK. The Escort finally finished production in July 2000, and then came the decision that production of Ford passenger vehicles in Britain would finish on the demise of the Fiesta in 2002. Although Ford passenger vehicles would not be produced in Britain, it was confirmed that commercial vehicle production would continue at Dagenham, while some of the Jaguar range would be produced at Halewood. By the end of the century, Ford\'s huge combine also included British performance carmaker Aston Martin.
Vauxhall, the British division of American combine General Motors, continued to make and sell 200,000 or more British-built vehicles per year (at Ellesmere Port and Luton) in the United Kingdom, as well as selling a similar number of Spanish and German built products. By 1989, the removal of the final Opel product from British showrooms left Vauxhall as the sole General Motors brand available in Britain. Vauxhall\'s "Raising the Standard" initiative around the turn of the new millennium helped close the gap on Ford, and in 1999 Vauxhall had become the first carmaker to sell cars directly to customers online.
During this era, foreign imports broke new ground with higher sales figures than ever before. In 1987, the Peugeot 205 became the first foreign car to break into the top 10 chart. In 1999, four of the top 10 cars (Volkswagen Golf, Renault Clio, Renault Megane and Peugeot 206) were made by foreign brands, and many other foreign imports were selling almost as strongly.
Demand for superminis and small family cars remained high, while large family cars were starting to suffer a slight dip in sales at the turn of the millennium due to the arrival of compact MPVs such as the Renault Scenic, Citroen Picasso and Vauxhall Zafira.
Vauxhall\'s sales success continued throughout the 2000s, making the gap between themselves and Ford narrower than ever. In 2005, the British-built Astra occupied second place in the British car sales charts, while the Spanish-built Corsa came third. Just lurking outside the top ten were the larger British-built Vectra and Zafira. The closure of the Luton plant in March 2003 meant that the Ellesmere Port site was the only Vauxhall plant remaining in Britain. By 2007, the plant was employing 3,000 workers and productivity was falling short of expectations, though General Motors denied that it was in the process of withdrawing UK operations.
Although Ford passenger car production in the UK finished in 2002 after some 90 years, production of commercial vehicles continued at Dagenham, while its Jaguar, Land Rover and Aston Martin subsidiaries continued to build cars in Britain. The Jaguar factory at Coventry closed in 2004, though production of the rest of the range continued elsewhere in the UK.
MG Rover spent the early part of the 2000s investigating possible ventures with other carmakers in order to develop a new range of cars. Proposed links with foreign organisations including Malaysian carmaker Proton failed to materialise, and by late 2004 Chinese carmaker Shanghai Automobile had shown an interest in taking over the Longbridge-based firm - who were now hundreds of millions of pounds in debt. Talks broke down and the firm went into receivership in April 2005 with the loss of more than 6,000 jobs. Three months later, the firm\'s assets were purchased by another Chinese carmaker - Nanjing Automobile Group - and Longbridge re-opened over the summer of 2007 with an initial workforce of around 250 making the MG TF sports model for a 2008 re-launch. The MG range is planned to expand over the next couple of years with the launch of new British and Chinese built products, some of which may make use of a revived Austin badge. The Rover badge, meanwhile, was sold to Ford in September 2006, though Ford has no immediate plans to make any cars with the Rover badge.
Peugeot reduced output of the Ryton plant in the spring of 2001 when its 306 model was replaced by the French-built 307, leaving the 206 as the only model being built there. In April 2006, falling fortunes on the British market contributed towards Peugeot\'s decision to close the Ryton plant and shift 206 production to Slovakia. The closure was initially planned to take place during the summer of 2007, but it ended up taking place in December 2006 and this left Coventry without a car production facility for the first time in some 100 years.
Honda, Toyota and Nissan continued to make a success of their British production facilities during the 2000s, and by 2006 the Sunderland plant alone was enough to confirm Nissan as the most prolific maker of British-built cars for that year. Nissan\'s venture with Renault has so far seen several new car launches sharing components, but no Renaults have been built in the UK yet.
In 2007, Ford announced its intention to sell Aston Martin, and the company was bought by a British Consortium. This was the first time since 2000 that a British car company was brought back under British control, though Ford still retains a stake in the company.
The Ford Focus has so far been Britain\'s most popular new car of the decade. It was Britain\'s most popular new car in 1999 - its first full year in production - and in 2006 completed an unbroken eight-year run as Britain\'s best-selling car. The smaller Fiesta began to lose its hold on the mini-car market following the launch of Vauxhall\'s MK2 Corsa in 2000, with the two cars frequently moving between first and second place in the sector\'s sales charts.
French carmaker Renault had been increasing its popularity in the UK since the 1980s, with sales really taking off in 1990 on the launch of the Clio supermini. By the end of the decade, the Clio and the larger Megane were both among the ten most popular cars in Britain. By 2005, the controversially-styled Megane was Britain\'s fourth most popular new car.
Other foreign carmakers to have achieved similar success in the UK include Volkswagen, Citroen, BMW and Fiat. Foreign-built cars have frequently outsold British-built ones on the UK market since the early 1990s, having gradually broken up British dominance over the previous decade.
In the 2000s Superminis have proved even more popular than ever, with the Ford Fiesta losing ground for much of this time and the Vauxhall Corsa and Peugeot 206 selling in huge numbers. The Renault Clio, Fiat Punto, Nissan Micra and the new BMW MINI have all enjoyed high volume sales. However, small family cars remain the key choice with British buyers, as the Ford Focus has occupied top spot in the UK continuously since 1999 and the Vauxhall Astra is regularly the second most popular car in the country. Other offerings such as the Renault Megane, Peugeot 307 and Volkswagen Golf have also sold well. Large family cars, however, have suffered a decline in sales. By 2002, the Ford Mondeo was the only car of this size in the top 10, and 2003 saw the BMW 3 Series becoming the first "compact executive" car to reach the top 10, also appearing in 2005 and again in 2006.
| key | Cars | Commercial vehicles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Year | 200 | 400 | 600 | 800 | 1000 | 1200 | 1400 | 1600 | 1800 | 2000 | 2200 | Total | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1910 | split not available | 14 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1920 | split not available | 70* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1930 | 170 | 67 | 237 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1940 | 2 | 132 | 134 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1950 | 523 | 263 | 785 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1960 | 1,353 | 458 | 1,811 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1970 | 1,641 | 458 | 2,098 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1980 | 924 | 389 | 1,312 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
(* estimated figure)
| Year | 200 | 400 | 600 | 800 | 1000 | 1200 | 1400 | 1600 | 1800 | 2000 | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990 | 1,296 | 270 | 1,566 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1991 | 1,237 | 217 | 1,454 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992 | 1,292 | 248 | 1,540 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993 | 1,376 | 193 | 1,569 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994 | 1,467 | 228 | 1,695 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995 | 1,532 | 233 | 1,765 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996 | 1,686 | 238 | 1,924 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997 | 1,698 | 238 | 1,936 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998 | 1,748 | 227 | 1,976 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999 | 1,787 | 186 | 1,973 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000 | 1,641 | 172 | 1,814 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001 | 1,492 | 193 | 1,685 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002 | 1,630 | 191 | 1,821 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003 | 1,658 | 189 | 1,846 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004 | 1,647 | 209 | 1,856 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | 1,596 | 207 | 1,802 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006 | 1,442 | 208 | 1,650 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
It has been estimated that there are about 4,000 companies in the UK involved in the manufacturing industry related to motorsport."Motor manufacturing industry moves up a gear", Daily Telegraph, 2006-11-30.
Formula One motor racing has made its home in the UK, and the following teams for the 2007 season are based there:
Austin, Autovia, BMC, BLMC, British Leyland, Dawson, De Lorean Motor Company, Hillman, Humber, Jensen, Lea-Francis, MG Rover, Morris Motor Company, Nuffield, Riley, Rootes, Singer, Standard, Sterling, Sunbeam, Sunbeam-Talbot, Sunbeam-Talbot-Darracq, Talbot, Triumph Motor Company, Vanden Plas, Wolseley.
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from Wikipedia
