Passenger car production in the United Kingdom has not returned to pre-Covid levels
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Passenger car production in the United Kingdom has not returned to pre-Covid levels
- UK output ran at 1-2 million units from 1990 to 2019, but has stayed at 700,000-900,000 since the 2020 Covid crisis (715,000 in 2025) - a fall of one million units since 2016.
- Who is responsible for the drop in British output?
- Nissan: from 500,000 units (2012-2016) to under 300,000 since 2020. Tata Motors (Jaguar Land Rover): from over 500,000 (2016-2017) to 200,000 in 2025, with Jaguar production ending in 2025.
- Relocation played a minor role before Brexit; Brexit itself is the main blow to UK competitiveness - Honda's exit was most likely a direct consequence. Mini and Land Rover moved only small volumes (to Germany and Slovakia).
- Since the Southampton and Luton closures, the UK no longer produces light commercial vehicles.
Passenger car production in Slovakia has remained stable since the Covid crisis
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Passenger car production in Slovakia has remained stable since the Covid crisis
- Slovak production began with independence (January 1, 1993) and now stands at about one million units a year, stable since 2021.
- In 1993 the only plant was Bratislava (former BAZ, acquired by Volkswagen in 1991, building the Passat); its capacity grew from 100,000 units in 1998 to 300,000 in 2005 and 400,000 in 2012.
- Foreign automakers arrived in the 2000s - Stellantis (then PSA) in 2006, Kia in 2007, Land Rover in 2019 - making Slovakia Europe's fifth-largest producer, on par with France and ahead of the UK and Italy.
- Like Czechia and Spain, Slovakia is a relocation destination and now has Europe's highest per-capita car production.
Passenger car production in the Czech Republic has significantly exceeded its pre-Covid levels
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Passenger car production in the Czech Republic has significantly exceeded its pre-Covid levels
- Czech output has significantly surpassed pre-Covid levels: a record 1.5 million units in 2025, vs 1.0 million in 2014, 0.5 million in 2004 and 0.2 million in 1990.
- Before 1990, Škoda was the country's only producer - apart from Tatra's few limousines for communist officials.
- Volkswagen's acquisition of Škoda in 1991 drove steady growth: 300,000 units in 1990, 600,000 in 2005, 900,000 in 2025.
- Škoda's success rests on a much broader range (10 models by 2026), improved quality and prices below Volkswagen's.
- The country also attracted Hyundai, Toyota and Stellantis - the latter two sharing one plant 50/50 until 2022.
- After Stellantis left in 2022, Toyota doubled its output thanks to the Yaris (transferred from France) and the Aygo X, which captured customers of the Peugeot 108 and Citroën C1.
Passenger car production in France has not returned to pre-Covid levels
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Passenger car production in France has not returned to pre-Covid levels
- French output has stagnated at about 1 million units since 2020, vs over 3 million in 2001-2005.
- The main driver is offshoring to Spain, Czechia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey and Morocco, along with plant closures (Aulnay, Flins, Romorantin; Poissy at risk) and the end of Smart production in eastern France.
- Stellantis and Renault are the groups most affected - and most responsible.
- Stellantis: 1.8 million cars in 2005, 1.2 million in 2010, 1.0 million in 2019, 0.5 million in 2025. In 2026, Rennes (possibly saved by Dongfeng) and Poissy (possible closure by 2028) are at risk.
- Renault: 1.0 million cars in 2005, 0.5 million in 2010, 0.25 million in 2025.
- Both groups now prioritize LCVs over passenger cars in France - making France Europe's largest producer of light commercial vehicles.
Passenger car production in Spain has not returned to pre-Covid levels
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Passenger car production in Spain has not returned to pre-Covid levels
- Spain, Europe's second-largest producer behind Germany, has not returned to pre-Covid levels: 1.7 million cars in 2025 vs 2.3 million in 2019 (a gap below 600,000 units). Output had exceeded 2.5 million in 2003-2004, when Spain was the top relocation destination.
- Who is responsible for the decline of recent years? Mainly Stellantis and Ford.
- Stellantis: from 1 million cars in 2007 to 600,000 in 2025 (C4 Picasso, C4 Cactus, C-Elysée, C3 Aircross, Meriva, Crossland, 207, 301 discontinued). Ford: from 400,000 in 2007 to 100,000 in 2025 (Mondeo, S-Max, Galaxy, Transit Connect discontinued). Renault: 550,000 to 350,000 units since 2016, largely due to the end of the Mégane.
- The Volkswagen Group held steady at 700,000 units in 2025, as in 2022 and in 2010-2014: SEAT's decline was offset by Cupra's growth, and the Polo's relocation to South Africa by the T-Cross and Taigo.
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