British Luxury Car Exports To India On Rise
car&bike Team
1 min read
Jul 31, 2017, 11:59 PM
Key Highlights
- India has proved to be a robust market for British luxury cars
- Figures for this week indicate a spike in exports from the UK to India
- Indian demand for UK's premium cars rose 8.3% in the first half of 2017
India has proved to be a robust market for British luxury cars as latest figures released by the UK automotive industry this week indicate a spike in exports from the UK to India. India is now the seventh largest Asian market for UK car exports, according to the latest figures.
Indian demand for UK's premium cars rose 8.3 per cent in the first half of 2017. Over the same period, the number of Indian-built models registered by British buyers rose by almost half (48.6 per cent) to 21,135 units. "The demand in India tends to be in the premium segment and the latest figures reflect the growing attraction of Britain's luxury brands in the country," said Mike Hawes, Chief Executive of the UK's Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
"The UK and Indian automotive industries share a rich heritage of trade and investment and strengthening this relationship through mutually-beneficial trade deals in the future is of the utmost importance," he said. Exports to India grew to 1,650 units this year, moving India up from eighth place in 2016 to seventh for the UK automotive industry as an increasing number of affluent buyers take advantage of a range of all new premium and luxury British-built cars, according to the membership-led trade body.
The upward trend vis-a-vis the Indian market contrasts with the overall picture for the industry, with UK car production falling by -2.9 per cent in the first half of 2017, attributed to the uncertainties triggered by Brexit. The European Union (EU) remained the UK's biggest trading partner, accounting for more than half of all cars produced for export (54.6 per cent), with Germany and Italy the UK's second and third biggest single markets.
The SMMT found that EU countries make up half of UK automotive's top 10 export destinations, highlighting the importance of continued free trade. "World class engineering and products, strong government collaboration and massive investment have helped UK Automotive become a global success story. At the heart of this has been the free and frictionless trade we've enjoyed with the EU - by far our biggest customer and supplier," Hawes cautioned.
"Given the deeply integrated European vehicle and component supply chain, we need Brexit negotiators on both sides to recognise the importance of barrier free trade for the European automotive industry. Any disruption to this risks undermining one of the EU's most valuable economic assets. "The industry needs certainty so an interim deal, maintaining UK single market and customs union membership until we have in place the complex new agreement with the EU, must be a priority for the UK in its withdrawal negotiations."
Production for export continued to drive volumes in 2017 as global demand for British-built cars dipped by a marginal -0.9 per cent in the first six months, with 683,826 cars shipped overseas.
Although UK automotive exports eight out of every 10 cars it builds to customers in some 160 countries worldwide, it is also a major importer. More than 85 per cent of the cars registered by British buyers in the first six months of the year came from overseas plants, and more than two thirds (67 per cent) from the EU, highlighting the importance of mutually beneficial tariff and barrier-free trade
Indian demand for UK's premium cars rose 8.3 per cent in the first half of 2017. Over the same period, the number of Indian-built models registered by British buyers rose by almost half (48.6 per cent) to 21,135 units. "The demand in India tends to be in the premium segment and the latest figures reflect the growing attraction of Britain's luxury brands in the country," said Mike Hawes, Chief Executive of the UK's Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
"The UK and Indian automotive industries share a rich heritage of trade and investment and strengthening this relationship through mutually-beneficial trade deals in the future is of the utmost importance," he said. Exports to India grew to 1,650 units this year, moving India up from eighth place in 2016 to seventh for the UK automotive industry as an increasing number of affluent buyers take advantage of a range of all new premium and luxury British-built cars, according to the membership-led trade body.
The upward trend vis-a-vis the Indian market contrasts with the overall picture for the industry, with UK car production falling by -2.9 per cent in the first half of 2017, attributed to the uncertainties triggered by Brexit. The European Union (EU) remained the UK's biggest trading partner, accounting for more than half of all cars produced for export (54.6 per cent), with Germany and Italy the UK's second and third biggest single markets.
The SMMT found that EU countries make up half of UK automotive's top 10 export destinations, highlighting the importance of continued free trade. "World class engineering and products, strong government collaboration and massive investment have helped UK Automotive become a global success story. At the heart of this has been the free and frictionless trade we've enjoyed with the EU - by far our biggest customer and supplier," Hawes cautioned.
"Given the deeply integrated European vehicle and component supply chain, we need Brexit negotiators on both sides to recognise the importance of barrier free trade for the European automotive industry. Any disruption to this risks undermining one of the EU's most valuable economic assets. "The industry needs certainty so an interim deal, maintaining UK single market and customs union membership until we have in place the complex new agreement with the EU, must be a priority for the UK in its withdrawal negotiations."
Production for export continued to drive volumes in 2017 as global demand for British-built cars dipped by a marginal -0.9 per cent in the first six months, with 683,826 cars shipped overseas.
Although UK automotive exports eight out of every 10 cars it builds to customers in some 160 countries worldwide, it is also a major importer. More than 85 per cent of the cars registered by British buyers in the first six months of the year came from overseas plants, and more than two thirds (67 per cent) from the EU, highlighting the importance of mutually beneficial tariff and barrier-free trade
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Related News
Latest Cars
Upcoming Cars
Latest News
car&bike Team | Jan 19, 2026Skoda Kushaq Facelift Debut Tomorrow: What To ExpectFacelifted Kushaq to get updated looks and new tech inside the cabin.1 min read
Jaiveer Mehra | Jan 17, 20262026 Tata Punch Facelift Price, Variants ExplainedUpdated Punch is available in 8 trim levels with naturally aspirated petrol, CNG and turbo-petrol engine options.3 mins read
car&bike Team | Jan 17, 2026Skoda Kushaq Facelift Teased Ahead of Launch In Coming WeeksMid-lifecycle update to bring with it styling updates as well as new features inside the cabin.1 min read
car&bike Team | Jan 16, 2026Pierer Mobility AG Rebranded as Bajaj Mobility AG Following KTM TakeoverThis marks a major shift in ownership and strategic direction in the global motorcycle industry.1 min read
Seshan Vijayraghvan | Jan 16, 2026Kia Syros Variant Line-Up Expanded With HTK (EX) Trim; Prices Start At Rs. 9.89 LakhPositioned between the HTK (O) and HTK+ trims, the new variant will be offered in both petrol and diesel options.2 mins read
car&bike Team | Jan 16, 2026MG Majestor India Launch On February 12Unveiled in India at the 2025 Bharat Mobility Expo, the Majestor is expected to be positioned as a more premium alternative to the Gloster.1 min read
Amaan Ahmed | Jan 17, 2026Bajaj Chetak C25 First Ride Review: Basic, Likeable E-Scooter For First-Time RidersThe Chetak C25, in quite a few ways, is poles apart from the larger and more powerful 30 and 35 Series models, but in its mannerisms, it is very much a Chetak.8 mins read
Bilal Firfiray | Jan 9, 2026Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder: 10,000 km Long-Term ReviewAfter spending over three months and 10,000 km with the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder Hybrid, we were impressed by its real-world mileage, seamless hybrid, practical comfort, and Toyota reliability. Is it the best C-SUV then?5 mins read
Seshan Vijayraghvan | Jan 8, 20262026 Mahindra XUV 7XO Review: Big On Tech, Bigger On ComfortThe new Mahindra XUV 7XO is flashier, feature packed, and comes with more advanced tech. But are the changes just incremental or actually substantial?1 min read
Preetam Bora | Jan 10, 2026Simple One Gen 2 First Ride Review: 265 km Claimed Range!The Gen 2 model of Simple Energy’s first electric scooter gets a fair few updates, including new features, tech, more range and lighter weight. We spent a couple of hours with the Simple One Gen 2 to find out if it manages to impress.6 mins read
Amaan Ahmed | Jan 3, 2026VLF Mobster 135 300 KM Review: Fun But FlawedA 125 cc scooter with Italian design and Chinese genes is a rare combination, and while some may be tempted to dismiss it because of its origins, the VLF Mobster shows 125s can also be exciting – but not without compromises.11 mins read