UK Auto Production Plunges 31% as Cyberattack and Weak Exports Bite

UK automotive production plunged in October, with combined car and commercial vehicle output falling 30.9% year-on-year to 62,116 units, according to new data released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The sharp contraction reflects both the ongoing fallout from a major cyber incident that disrupted operations at Britain’s largest carmaker and wider structural pressures in the country’s auto sector. Car production dropped 23.8% to 59,010 units, leaving factories 18,474 vehicles short of October 2024 levels. The…