Automotive industry in the United Kingdom

Rolls-Royce Spectre, produced from 2023 - Present

The automotive industry in the United Kingdom is now best known for premium and sports car marques including: Aston Martin, McLaren, Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mini and Lotus.[a] Specialised sports car companies include: Ariel, BAC, Morgan, Caterham, AC Cars, Gordan Murray, TVR, Noble, Radical, Ginetta, Ultima Sports, Westfield, Lister, Arash and David Brown.[a] Volume car manufacturers with a major presence in the UK include: Nissan, Toyota, Mini and Vauxhall.[1] Commercial vehicle manufacturers active in the UK include Alexander Dennis, Dennis Eagle, IBC Vehicles, Leyland Trucks, TEVVA and the London Electric Vehicle Company.[1]

In 2018 the UK automotive manufacturing sector had a turnover of £82 billion, generated £18.6 billion in value to the UK economy and produced around 1.5 million passenger vehicles and 85,000 commercial vehicles.[2] In that year around 168,000 people were directly employed in automotive manufacturing in the UK, with a further 823,000 people employed in automotive supply, retail and servicing.[2]

Ariel Atom, produced from 2000 - Present

The UK is a major centre for engine manufacturing, and in 2018 around 2.71 million engines were produced in the country.[1] The UK has a significant presence in auto racing and the UK motorsport industry currently employs around 38,500 people, comprises around 4,500 companies and has an annual turnover of around £6 billion.[3]

The origins of the UK automotive industry date back to the final years of the 19th century. By the 1950s, the UK was the second-largest manufacturer of cars in the world (after the United States), and the largest exporter.[4] However, in subsequent decades the industry experienced considerably lower growth than competitor nations such as France, Germany and Japan, and by 2008 the UK was the 12th-largest producer of cars measured by volume.[4] Since the early 1990s, many British car marques have been invested in by international companies including BMW (Mini and Rolls-Royce), Tata (Jaguar and Land Rover) and Volkswagen Group (Bentley).

Famous and iconic British cars include the Aston Martin DB5, Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Bentley 4½ Litre, Jaguar E-Type, Land Rover Defender, Lotus Esprit, McLaren F1, MGB, original two-door Mini, Range Rover, Rolls-Royce Phantom III and Rover P5.[5][6][7][8][9] Notable British car designers include David Bache, Dick Burzi, Laurence Pomeroy, John Polwhele Blatchley, Ian Callum, Colin Chapman, Alec Issigonis, Charles Spencer King and Gordon Murray.


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  1. ^ a b c "Motor Industry Facts 2019" (PDF). Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. 2019. p. 14. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 November 2010. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Motor Industry Facts 2019" (PDF). Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. 2019. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 November 2010. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
  3. ^ "The Industry". Motorsport Industry Association. Archived from the original on 3 January 2011. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
  4. ^ a b "The UK Automotive Industries – Status, Economic Recovery and Expectations". The University of Buckingham. Archived from the original on 27 November 2010. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
  5. ^ "Aston Martin DB5 named the most iconic British car of all time". Belfast Telegraph. 23 October 2008. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
  6. ^ "Range Rover is 40". Auto Express. 2 June 2010. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
  7. ^ "Land Rover's new Defender". Autocar. 2 March 2010. Retrieved 6 May 2011.
  8. ^ "Nanjing Auto Rolls Out First 'Made-in-China' MG Cars". Bloomberg L.P. 27 March 2007. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
  9. ^ "20 years of the McLaren F1". Autocar. 28 May 2010. Retrieved 22 May 2011.