Just 53,438 vehicles rolled off production lines in Britain, down by 37.6% on last year, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
It represented the worst July performance since 1956, the SMMT said.
Manufacturers were forced to grapple with staff shortages due to workers being “pinged” as well as the worldwide shortage of semiconductor chips that has been affecting product makers from Apple to Toyota.
