UK Car Production By Make: 1966-1981

These were the golden years of UK car making. BL had absorbed virtually all British brands by 1968 and looked very strong. Ford models were popular, although GM Vauxhall looked average. Chrysler started this period as the Rootes Group, and ended up Peugeot. Record production volume was achieved in 1972.

But cracks were appearing. From '73, a steady decline ensued, and by the beginning of the 80's, it was bleak. BL in particular was only a shadow of what it was less than a decade earlier. UK car making was at risk and could have gone altogether. That didn't happen but could have so easily.

Yr	Total	BLMC	Ford	Chrys	GM Vx	Leyland	Other
66	1,603,700	627,300	466,200	171,900	172,800	160,900	4,600
67	1,552,000	561,200	440,700	181,200	196,900	165,500	6,500
68	1,815,900	818,300	553,700	189,100	244,800	See BL	10,000
69	1,717,100	830,900	531,600	173,900	171,700	-	9,000
70	1,641,000	787,700	448,400	217,000	178,100	-	9,800
71	1,741,900	886,700	366,600	281,600	199,100	-	7,900
72	1,921,300	916,200	546,700	263,900	184,000	-	10,500
73	1,747,300	875,800	453,400	265,400	138,400	-	14,300
74	1,534,100	738,500	383,700	261,800	136,900	-	13,200
75	1,267,700	605,100	329,600	226,600	98,600	-	7,800
76	1,333,400	687,900	383,200	144,600	109,100	-	8,600
77	1,327,800	651,100	406,600	169,500	93,200	-	7,400
78	1,222,900	611,800	324,400	196,400	84,000	-	6,300
79	1,070,500	503,800	398,700	103,000	58,800	-	6,200
80	923,700	395,800	342,800	125,300	55,000	-	4,800
81	954,700	413,400	342,200	117,400	69,900	-	11,800
Tot	23,375,000	10,911,500	6,718,500	3,088,600	2,191,300	326,400	126,900
Avg	1,460,900	682,000	419,900	193,000	137,000	163,200	13,150