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Showing posts with label Sales Hist - UK. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sales Hist - UK. Show all posts
The Very Successful BMC 1100/1300

Looking back on times not that distant, you see that things are always changing, that nothing stays the same. Because the change is gradual it is not always noticed, but the list below makes you realise how different the car market was back in the 20th Century. Some points to note from the chart below:

The models are colour coded by origin.
In '65, two thirds of cars sold were in the top 10, in 2012 30%.
Vauxhall were in a trough in '75, with just one model represented.
French models came and went...
...now German brands are making their move.


1965

1975

1BMC 1100/1300157,679
Ford Cortina106,8371
2Ford Cortina116,985
Ford Escort103,8172
3BMC Mini104,477
BL Mini84,6683
4Ford Anglia84,589
Morris Marina78,6324
5Vauxhall Victor60,854
Austin Allegro63,3395
6Vauxhall Viva58,884
Vauxhall Viva54,7316
7BMC 1.6 Farina52,503
Hillman Avenger38,3777
8Triumph Herald/Vit46,626
Tri Toledo/1500/Dol30,1198
9Morris Minor44,905
Austin Princess29,0679
10Ford Corsair44,463
Hillman Hunter28,96610

% Of Total67.2%
% Of Total51.8%








1985

1995

1Ford Escort157,269
Ford Escort137,7601
2Vauxhall Cavalier134,334
Ford Fiesta129,5742
3Ford Fiesta124,143
Ford Mondeo118,0403
4Austin/MG Metro118,817
Vauxhall Astra100,7094
5Ford Sierra101,642
Vauxhall Cavalier73,9785
6Vauxhall Astra76,553
Vauxhall Corsa72,5086
7Austin/MG Montego73,955
Rover 20068,1147
8Ford Orion65,363
Peugeot 30656,1128
9Vauxhall Nova61,358
Renault Clio52,5769
10Austin/MG Maestro57,527
Rover 10052,39210

% Of Total53.0%
% Of Total44.3%








2005

2012

1Ford Focus145,010
Ford Fiesta109,2651
2Vauxhall Astra108,461
Vauxhall Corsa89,4342
3Vauxhall Corsa89,463
Ford Focus83,1153
4Renault Megane87,093
VW Golf62,0214
5Ford Fiesta83,803
Vauxhall Astra63,0235
6VW Golf67,749
Nissan Qashqai45,6756
7Peugeot 20667,450
BMW 3 Series44,5217
8Ford Mondeo57,589
VW Polo41,9018
9Renault Clio56,538
Mercedes C37,2619
10BMW 3 Series44,844
BMW MINI36,83910

% Of Total33.1%
% Of Total30.0%
The Popular Ford Anglia
Data source: SMMT

PS. Both cars pictured I had Dinky car models of.

Top 10 UK By The Decade: 1965 - 2012


I always liked statistics and cars. The Internet allowed me to bring them together for an interesting hobby. I was also given some sage advice about hobbies, that was don't get too broad in scope but specialise. I have kept to makes rather than models, and I have focused on one area in particular, the UK car industry. It's checkered history is like a soap opera.

Mk II Cortina. c. 290,000 were made in the UK in 1967

With that in mind, now that 'frenetic January' has passed and the 2013 annual data has been shared with you all, I will try to give 1960's to today coverage of the UK car making industry, interspersed with other articles in case that is not your cup of tea. Starting with 1960-80, I collected data for sales and production separately and while generally OK, it did raise the odd flag.

The fine looking Hillman Hunter. c. 140,000 were made in 1969

1960s: Why did sales of locally made cars drop so much in 1961? (See chart below) The two manufacturers I have data for, Rootes (mainly Hillman) and Vauxhall had sizable reductions in production, over 100,000 between them. Still, I am sure imports didn't leap and fall quite like that, so the data may be in need of slight refinement. Anyway, normal dominance by locally made cars returned until 1969/70 when local cars started to lose share. Vauxhall dropped suddenly again and BL's formation around that time and the rationalisations that took place impacted as well.

In 1971, a record 318,500 Minis were made in the UK

1970s: UK sales increased rapidly in the early 70's but that wasn't matched by local production. Ford was reducing the models it made locally through that decade and BL's lack of investment in R&D was hurting its sales. Chrysler Europe - which now owned Rootes - lost money, the owner's interest and production volume. It was sold off to Peugeot in 1978. Vauxhall's car range was now poor (due to inept management) and models were being pruned, production naturally plummeting.

The Chevette came along in 1975 and improved Vauxhall's poor image

YrTotalLocal% localImport % imp

60820,088782,83995.5%37,2494.5%

61756,054633,22383.8%122,83116.2%

62800,239704,50288.0%95,73712.0%

631,030,694992,11296.3%38,5823.7%

641,215,9291,188,25797.7%27,6722.3%

651,148,7181,094,47895.3%54,2404.7%

661,091,2171,047,63596.0%43,5824.0%

671,143,0151,049,41791.8%93,5988.2%

681,144,7701,139,36599.5%5,4050.5%

69965,410945,43997.9%19,9712.1%

701,076,865950,62788.3%126,23811.7%

711,285,6611,020,84679.4%264,81520.6%

721,637,7751,293,83279.0%343,94321.0%

731,661,6391,148,50569.1%513,13430.9%

741,271,009969,90076.3%301,10923.7%

751,196,185751,47662.8%444,70937.2%

761,288,092837,65365.0%450,43935.0%

771,323,525852,99464.4%470,53135.6%

781,591,941756,56747.5%835,37452.5%

791,716,275660,33438.5%1,055,94161.5%

801,513,661564,59937.3%949,06262.7%
Summary: The 1960's were a time of success for the industry. By the 70's, lack of investment was catching and undermining the good done a decade before. Imports had gone from 4.5% in 1960 to 62.7% in 1980. Blasé management coupled with militant workers led to a decline that was precipitous. The soap opera was in full swing.

PS. As I live far away from the UK, some local residents may wish to express their pennies worth. Perhaps distance can bring some objectivity though.

UK Car Sales Local vs Import: 1960-80


128,000 Ford Sierras were made in the UK in 1983 

Comparing the locally made and imported share of the UK market (1960-80 can be accessed by clicking here), the 1980's were pretty stable. Therefore I didn't add those years to the list below. So how did these decades pan out?

1980's: Despite the market growing well in this period, local car makers grew even faster. This was a better time for UK car production as local percentage went from 41% in 1981 to 44% in 1990. The Metro and 200 models from BL were doing well, the Ford's Fiesta and Escort were rolling out of Dagenham in goodly numbers, Vauxhall were doing fine with the Astra and Cavalier models while Nissan had arrived and was ramping up Bluebird production. It looked like a corner had been turned.

The Rover Metro/100 was a winner for UK customers. She looks happy

1990's: Remember, this is a soap opera and there is always plenty of twists in such shows. The good was that Toyota (Carina & Corolla) and Honda (Accord & Civic) arrived, while Nissan had added the Micra. Vauxhall was doing well with the Vectra and Astra. However, most of that production was for export. The Rover Group (formerly BL) was more a local car maker than exporter, and that was in decline. BMW had bought it mid decade and frankly made a mess of it (see the proof by clicking here). So the 90's ended up with just 26% locally made.

Always popular in Britain

2000's: Domestically made cars in the UK took a tumble this decade. The Phoenix Consortium took some of the Rover Group and created MG Rover. It soon withered and went belly up. Ford and Peugeot decided to end car making in the UK. Ford continued with design work and engine building which compensated, but PSA cynically moved to Slovakia. BMW did get things very right with the MINI, Land Rover had a blossoming range of vehicles and the Japanese car makers showed loyalty by sticking with the UK (PSA take note). Nevertheless, much of this was for export and the UK production share in its home market nearly touched a mere 10%.

2010's: With the history lesson nearly over, the last three years of the chart showed small but encouraging signs. The Nissan Qashqai has helped with UK citizens almost taking it as their own (local design and manufacture not enough for some), as too the Juke model (Note & Leaf also made in Sunderland).

The Nissan Qashqai. As British as fish 'n chips and a pint 

Summary: The British car maker's share of their local market has been truly a soap opera. With Vauxhall only making one model now, Ford (also seen as a UK Brand) not actually making cars there, and MG Rover well gone, the import will continue to dominate. It's hard for most in the UK to see Nissan, Toyota and Honda as local producers to support. MINI, Land Rover and Jaguar are seen that way of course, with only some moaning about these being foreign owned. I say be glad for what you have. The industry could have died off completely.


YrTotalLocal% localImport% impt

911,592,326631,82439.7%960,50260.3%

921,593,601707,57944.4%886,02255.6%

931,779,296814,17345.8%965,12354.2%

941,911,933854,12444.7%1,057,80955.3%

951,945,366763,24639.2%1,182,12060.8%

962,025,450760,73137.6%1,264,71962.4%

972,170,725738,49434.0%1,432,23166.0%

982,247,403729,21732.4%1,518,18667.6%

992,197,615649,27929.5%1,548,33670.5%

002,221,647578,46226.0%1,643,18574.0%

012,458,769598,15124.3%1,860,61875.7%

022,563,631582,26622.7%1,981,36577.3%

032,579,050513,79819.9%2,065,25280.1%

042,567,269467,16018.2%2,100,10981.8%

052,439,717411,24516.9%2,028,47283.1%

062,344,864335,99214.3%2,008,87285.7%

072,404,007349,10814.5%2,054,89985.5%

082,131,795318,03314.9%1,813,76285.1%

091,994,999237,22611.9%1,757,77388.1%

102,030,846309,02415.2%1,721,82284.8%

111,941,253219,13411.3%1,722,11988.7%

122,044,609252,87512.4%1,791,73487.6%

132,264,737308,36713.6%1,956,37086.4%
Data source: The SMMT I assume is the original source.

UK Car Sales Local vs Import: 1981-2013

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