Some car manufacturers will not reveal wait times for new cars
Honda was the only company that had all of its models available before the end of March.
An investigation into new car delivery times has found that many car manufacturers are reluctant to go on record with how long customers can expect to wait.
The car industry has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, which saw factory shutdowns during early lockdowns affect supplies. More recently, a shortage of computer chips has left many manufacturers struggling to build cars.
Customers and dealerships have told stories of huge wait times for some models, with Car Dealer magazine reporting that one dealer stated that buyers would have to wait for up to a year for Skoda’s electric Enyaq SUV. A Jaguar Land Rover retailer told the magazine they were not taking orders for the Range Rover Sport as they did not know when they would be built.
Car magazine Auto Express spoke to the top manufacturers in the UK and found that most new cars that are ordered now will not be delivered until at least the summer.
Nine car makers said stock was due to arrive in June, July and August. However, Seat, Volkswagen and Audi – all members of the Volkswagen Group, did not answer the request. Skoda said the Kamiq, Fabia, Superb and Kodiaq were available now, but did not mention the electric Enyaq.
Elsewhere, Mercedes-Benz and Jaguar said it was not possible to give specific lead times as it varies by model, while Land Rover quoted a six- to 12-month wait ‘as a rough guide’.
Japanese manufacturer Honda was the only company that said all of its models were available for delivery by the end of March.
In January, UK new car manufacturing saw its lowest output in more than a decade. With 68,000 cars leaving factories, it was down a fifth on 2021 and the worst since 2009, according to figures from industry body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
The poor supply of new cars has seen customers turn to the used market, which has reported unprecedented price growth in recent months. In some cases, nearly new used models are selling for more than a brand new equivalent.
