Lost Chance For Leyland

DAILY MIRROR
By Patrick Mennem

British Leyland could have boosted their car sales by 25 per cent, this year, it was claimed yesterday. The only snag was that they couldn't make enough cars. Explaining this at the weekend, deputy chairman John Barber said that industrial trouble within the company had lost some sales.

But sales had been hardest hit by troubles from outside. And even with a clean production run, they would not have been able to meet the unprecedented demand for their cars at home and overseas . Mr Barber added: "We intend to increase production next year, but we will still be unable to meet demand. If it is maintained at the current level."

Mr John Carpenter, sales director of the company's Rover-Triumph section, said that he had never known a time when sales were so buoyant. "The demand is there, but we cannot get the production at the moment," he added.

Top management changes recently announced by British Leyland have all been geared to raising production. Every effort is being made to double up on sources of supply, to ensure that the production lines are not idle because of problems with outside suppliers.