Winter is Coming... for British Car Production! Tariffs and Troubles Across the Narrow Sea!

A Lannister Always Pays His Tariffs (Apparently)

My loyal subjects your Queen Daenerys Stormborn of the House Targaryen First of Her Name the Unburnt Queen of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men Queen of Meereen Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea Protector of the Realm Lady Regnant of the Seven Kingdoms Breaker of Chains and Mother of Dragons has arrived to deliver some less than fiery news from across the Narrow Sea. It appears the realm of automobile production in the UK is facing a rather… frosty winter. Production has plummeted and not even my dragons seem capable of melting away these troubles.

Dracarys... to U.S. Trade Policies!

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) those diligent record keepers have revealed a calamitous 32.8% drop in car and commercial vehicle production. A number so dire that even Tyrion would struggle to drink his way through it. This means the UK hasn't seen numbers this low since 1949! Blame it seems is to be shared. Trump with his tariffs on imported cars and car parts has thrown a wrench into the works hitting luxury brands like Aston Martin and Jaguar Land Rover harder than a Dothraki charge. The Mother of Dragons does not approve of such economic warfare! Even if the Imp has tried to get the US President to be more reasonable (as per sources) this does not seem to have worked!

A Flicker of Hope? Or Just Dragonfire?

Fear not for even in the darkest night a Khaleesi can find a spark of hope! Trump in a moment of apparent generosity (or perhaps fearing the wrath of a Targaryen) reduced the levy on British cars to 10% for the first 100,000 imports. Prime Minister Starmer claims this will save Jaguar Land Rover alone hundreds of millions. A small victory perhaps but victories are built one battle at a time. Now where are my Unsullied when I need them to oversee these trade deals?

When You Play the Game of Trade You Win or You… Export?

Mike Hawes the chief of SMMT speaks of optimism citing trade deals and a more positive relationship with the EU. He believes these measures will help the automotive sector recover its 'engine room' status in international trade. Last year the UK exported a hefty £9 billion worth of cars to the U.S. accounting for over 27% of total UK exports. It seems the Iron Throne isn't the only thing the UK is keen on exporting.

The Numbers Don't Lie (Dragons Do Sometimes)

So far this year UK vehicle production is down 12.9% from 2024 totaling a mere 348,226 units. These figures according to SMMT are the lowest since 1953. It appears the automotive realm is in dire need of some dragonfire… or perhaps a clever trade deal or two. But even if it is hard "That is what rulers do. They serve.".

What is Dead May Never Die (Unless a Dragon Gets to It)

It remains to be seen if the UK automotive industry can rise from these ashes like a phoenix... or a dragon! Perhaps what is needed is a Khaleesi at the helm negotiating trade deals with the precision of a Valyrian steel blade. Until then let us hope that winter doesn't claim this vital industry entirely. I suppose I need to start thinking of a way to turn that to ash… I mean… to make things better!