BRITISH VEHICLE PRODUCTION

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27564, 22 January 1955, Page 3

BRITISH VEHICLE PRODUCTION

INCREASE IN OUTPUT

(N.Z. Press Association— Copyright) LONDON, January ». Britain’s car, bus, and truck production last year topped the 1,000,000 mark for the first time. At the same time more than two-thirds of her Increase in car exports went to Australia and New Zealand. The total British output was 1,038,834 vehicles, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders announced today. This was made up of 709,165 cars and 269,869 commercial vehicles, which together bettered the 1933 figure by more than 200,000. Cars alone have recently been produced at a rate of one every 10 seconds of the working day. Motor industry exports generally earned the all-time record sum of £340,000,000 or £16,000,000 better than in the previous peak year of 1952. Australia bought 90,077 cars to a value of £24,307,026, compared with the 1953 figure of 60,595 cars at £15,762,036. Australia also bought 31,166 commercial vehicles last year at a cost of £10,357,454, compared with 22,108 vehicles at £7,494,401 In 1953. Australia's 1954 purchases of farm tractors reached 19,212 at £7,000,132, compared with the 1953 total of 14,843 at £5,259,583. New Zealand last year bought 38.838 cars at £12,707.335, compared with 21,086 at £6,855,782 in 1953. > New Zealand’s commercial vehicle purchases totalled 9098 at £3.957,328, compared with the 1953 figures of 4330 st £2,500,425. Last year New Zealand s also took 9133 tractors at £3,518,902 compared with the 1953 total of £3,095,522. Among the Continental nations Sweden was Britain’s best car and truck customer, but Belgium, Denmark and Holland also increased their purchases. Tractor shipments to the United States earned Britain more than £3,750,000. This was four times as much as in