UK car production falls in August as cyberattack looms over September

British car makers produced 37,072 cars in August, down 10.2% from August 2024, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said Thursday. The month is typically quieter because of planned summer shutdowns, but the performance comes as the industry had benefited from a post-Brexit trade deal with the United States and stronger demand for domestically built models earlier in the year. August 2024 output was 41,271, while July’s output stood at 69,127.

Total UK vehicle production for August fell 18.2% to 38,693 units, with car output at 37,072 and commercial-vehicle production at 1,621. Domestic car production rose 11.5% to 7,162 units, while exports declined 14.2% to 29,910; exports accounted for about 80.7% of August car output.

Jaguar Land Rover’s end-of-August cyberattack disrupted plant operations, and the company extended its factory shutdown to at least 1 October, raising concerns about supply chains and potential losses. SMMT Chief Executive Mike Hawes remarked that August is typically a low-volume month due to summer maintenance, but the focus now shifts to September’s performance and the likely impact of the cyberattack at Britain’s largest automotive employer. The sector is resilient, Hawes added, but SMMT remains engaged with members and the government to understand what additional supportive measures may be needed.

The SMMT said the overall fall in combined vehicle production underscores the challenging environment facing UK automakers, with soft conditions in the European Union, ongoing cost pressures, model transitions and slower economic growth. Yet there is positive news on electric propulsion: EV production rose 40.9% to 16,830 units in August, and electrified vehicles—hybrids, plug-in hybrids and BEVs—accounted for 45.4% of August output, the second-best share of any month. In the year to date, factories have turned out more than 200,000 electrified vehicles, up 3.7% on 2024, though total car output is down 5.9% to 492,009.

Year-to-date CV output is down 54.4% to 35,922 units. Car production for the UK market rose 11.5% to 7,162 units, while exports fell 14.2% to 29,910.

Analysts say the sector remains vulnerable to external demand conditions, but the SMMT notes the industry’s resilience and its ongoing collaboration with policymakers to identify measures that could support production and jobs as the sector navigates through September’s data, which is expected to reflect the cyberattack’s effects more clearly.