Motor industry bosses are calm over the latest figures that show a slowing of car and engine production in the UK over the summer.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) suggests that production is subject to cyclical fluctuations caused by summer holiday shut-downs in other parts of Europe.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said, “Car production is traditionally subject to a degree of fluctuation during the quieter summer months with some manufacturers pausing production to invest in upgrades and prepare for new model launches, as well as to manage holiday leave.

“The industry remains in a strong position, with more than 911,000 cars produced so far this year and some significant new model introductions due in the autumn.

“Engine manufacturing was down in July 2015 compared to the same period last year, which is unsurprising as, in line with seasonal scheduling in the car production sector, changes to holiday patterns meant the traditional annual production line shutdown started earlier at some plants.

“The future remains bright for engine production, however, with almost 1.5 million engines built in the year to date, and significant investment which we should see results of in the coming months.”

At the same time, commercial vehicle production in the UK has been boosted by a surge in local demand.

Figures for July show a total of 9,274 CVs were built, according to the SMMT, with output for the UK market posting an especially strong gain of 137.6%.

July’s figures are a continuation of the recovery made by the sector throughout 2015, which has seen production levels grow by a third to 57,967 units.

Volumes last year were hit by some restructuring within the industry, as well as a spike in truck demand in 2013 related to type approval changes. This year’s growth comes off the back of increasing demand both domestically and abroad for UK-built CVs.

“The commercial vehicle manufacturing sector's impressive performance in July is further welcome evidence of its ongoing return to form,” said Hawes added. 

“After a difficult year of regulatory upheaval, we're now seeing demand for British-built vans, trucks and buses bounce back as fleet renewal patterns return to normal and the online delivery market continues to grow.”