Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT)

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) is a UK-based trade association representing the automotive industry. It acts as a lobby group and provides data and analysis on vehicle production, sales, and market trends. The SMMT is newsworthy due to its recent reports on UK car manufacturing targets and sales figures. Specifically, the SMMT has indicated that achieving Labour's target of 1.3 million cars produced annually by 2035 will likely require a new large UK factory. Simultaneously, the SMMT's preliminary figures show UK car sales exceeding 2 million in 2025, the highest since 2019, driven in part by a significant increase in the market share of Chinese automotive brands, which accounted for 9.7% of new registrations. These reports highlight the challenges and opportunities facing the UK automotive sector, including the need for increased production capacity and the growing influence of international manufacturers.