UK AUTO SECTOR
Top marques
Although many of our famous brands are now foreign-owned, the UK remains a world-leading producer,
designer and innovator for the automotive industry. Stuart Nathan and Jon Excell report
22
ASK ANYONE on the street about the UK
automotive industry and they might well ask
‘what automotive industry?’
This would not be a surprise given the
mainstream media’s preoccupation with
factory closures and economic gloom.
Fortunately, this special report paints a
FutuRe
of automotive technology
Iconic: Rolls-Royce (owned by Germans) and the Routemaster Bus (now defunct) embody UK auto for many people
very different picture. The UK is not just an
attractive place to make cars, but it boasts a
disproportionately high number of globally
recognised marques — spanning vehicle types
from niche sports cars to heavy trucks and
every sector in between.
Add to this an enviable reputation for
contract manufacturing, a healthy smattering
of world-leading research projects and an
academic base that continues to produce some
of the world’s top engineers and designers, and
it is clear that — far from being on its last legs
— the UK’s automotive sector is in pretty rude
health. Here are 10 reasons why.
the EnGIneeR 21 APRIL–4 MAY 2008
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