U.S. Tariffs on Imported Vehicles Threaten UK's Auto Industry, Expert Warns

(MENAFN) The recent implementation of tariffs by the U.S. government on imported vehicles is exerting significant strain on the automotive industry in Britain, posing risks to operations, jeopardizing tens of thousands of jobs, and threatening the long-term viability of production, warns a prominent authority on the sector.

In an exclusive discussion, Professor David Bailey, a business economics specialist at the University of Birmingham, characterized the consequences of the U.S. auto tariffs as a looming "industry crisis" that could particularly impact Britain's manufacturing core.

On April 3, the Trump administration announced a 25 percent tariff on imported vehicles, with an extra 25 percent duty on auto parts set to be enforced in early May.

"Cars are the UK's number one goods export to the United States, worth as much as 9 billion pounds (about 11.88 billion U.S. dollars) a year," Bailey noted. "The West Midlands is the number one exporting region, largely on the back of Jaguar Land Rover. This is a huge potential hit for the industry and the region."

He pointed out that the entire automotive value chain is intricately linked to the West Midlands. "When you consider not just manufacturing but R&D, supply chains, and logistics, the scale is massive."

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