UK CV Production: 1969-2011

The UK car industry suffered as did much UK industry in latter decades of the 20th century. The car making sector rallied thanks to overseas investment, and other areas such as car design got a reprieve. The effect on the economy was most beneficial, from taxes generated to the trickle down effect to suppliers and ultimately all businesses.

However, CV (commercial vehicle) manufacturing wasn't so fortunate. Van production has fallen away badly, and many truck brands have gone - some bought out by foreign companies and closed. So how did CV production fare in the time frame from 1969 to today? The list below shows:

Make	1969			Make	1979			Make	1989
BLMC	185,400			Ford	167,200			Ford	144,000
Ford	137,000			BLMC	124,700			GM	67,200
GM	102,500			GM	87,700			Rover	44,800
Chrysler	31,900			Ren (Chr)	17,600			Ley-DAF	38,300
								Iveco	14,900
Others	8,900			Others	9,200			Others	17,400
Total	465,700			Total	408,400			Total	326,600
Make	1999			Make	2011
Ford	118,300			GM-Ren	73,100
Rover	24,200			Ford	28,200
LDV	13,700			Ley-DAF	14,600
GM	13,300
Ley-DAF	8,100
Others	8,300			Others	5,400
Total	185,900			Total	121,300

With Ford quitting its van production, it will be down to two makers of any consequence. Ownership of many companies has changed so I have tried to keep it as simple as possible. The point is the slide of volume . With GM never guaranteeing anything beyond the current model, and any future investment of note impossible to see this is as good as it will get. I guess the positive note is the car industry could have gone the same way but didn't.

Bedford truck picture source:  click here
Ford Transit picture source:  click here
Leyland-DAF picture source:  click here
GM Vivaro picture source:  click here

Turkish Car Production: 1970-2011

Car production in Turkey has been rising steadily. No doubt it is cost effective to make cars there, and yet still close to the European market. Ford made small numbers of cars before giving up to concentrate on commercial vehicle, of which it is by far the biggest in the country. GM I believe made the Vectra in Izmir but finished that in 2001. To more than make up for those departures, three Asian car makers opened plants. The two mainstays Renault and Fiat continue to be the main manufacturers.

Below production is shown in five year periods, but the last one only three years. The last period is down even allowing for the difference in length of time, but the economic downturn has caused that. Overall you would have to say car manufacturing in Turkey is doing quite well.

Yr	Total	Renault	Fiat	Toyota	Hyund	Honda	Ford	GM
70-74	153,100	47,000	79,200	-	-	-	26,900	-
75-79	289,400	144,200	119,400	-	-	-	25,800	-
80-84	185,400	93,500	90,100	-	-	-	1,800	-
85-89	488,700	206,200	246,500	-	-	-	36,000	-
90-94	1,189,100	470,600	661,100	-	-	-	21,700	35,700
95-99	1,145,900	444,500	483,200	92,600	37,400	14,900	34,800	38,500
00-04	1,418,300	666,800	359,500	261,700	74,300	46,900	-	9,100
05-09	2,766,700	1,236,200	425,700	695,500	287,700	121,600	-	-
10-12	1,216,100	638,100	203,300	174,900	167,200	32,600	-	-
Total	8,852,700	3,947,100	2,668,000	1,224,700	566,600	216,000	147,000	83,300

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