Despite the fragility of the overall car and automotive market, Professor Garel Rhys of the Cardiff Business School was the bearer of good news by announcing an improvement in recent UK production figures.

Presenting at the Sunderland International Automotive Conference, Rhys has commented: From the summer of 2008 a real economic crisis hit the car industry and in the UK it was the worst since World War 2. It really has been a very dreadful recession but now the industry worldwide is coming out of it slowly.

During his delivery, the Professor highlighted a number of key factors which has led to an economic improvement in the manufacturing of motor vehicles and the gradual return of UK's car market . Reiterating the point that complacency must be avoided at all cost, Rhys drew delegates' attention to the impact of the European approach to replace older vehicles with carbon efficient designs and the change this has had on car buyers .

Mention was also made of the highly-publicised UK scrappage scheme, which Prof Rhys reportedly believes has done little for the UK, but reflected on the positive impact this has had on car dealers, insurance, car finance and the foreign automotive employment sector .

The international impact was also emphasised for the one hundred and forty attendees, with reference made to the increasing economic strength of India and China within the automotive industry . Prof Rhys' reportedly commented that a greater amount of vehicles would be manufactured and purchased in the next twenty years than in the previous one hundred and ten; which of course does nothing but add to the enthusiasm and potential of the sector during the turbulent years ahead.