Motor Vehicles (Approval) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2001

Vehicles manufactured in very low volume

4.—(1) A vehicle is a vehicle manufactured in very low volume if the condition specified in either sub-paragraph (2) or sub-paragraph (3) is complied with.

(2) The condition specified in this sub-paragraph is that the total number of vehicles of the family of types to which the vehicle in question belongs which are manufactured in the world for any period of 12 months falling within the period of 36 months immediately preceding the month in which the vehicle was manufactured does not exceed 200.

(3) The condition specified in this sub-paragraph is that the number of vehicles of the type variant to which the vehicle in question belongs which are manufactured in the world for any period of 12 months falling within the period of 36 months immediately preceding the month in which the vehicle was manufactured does not exceed 20.

(4) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (3), a type variant consists exclusively of vehicles which do not differ in at least the following essential respects—

(a) the manufacturer;

(b) essential aspects of construction and design, that is to say in—

(i) obvious and fundamental differences in the chassis, floor pan or other parts of the vehicle’s structure, or

(ii) the power plant (whether internal combustion, electric or hybrid);

(c) body style (by way of example, saloon, hatchback, coupe, cabriolet or estate);

(d) the following further characteristics of the power plant—

(i) its working principle (whether positive ignition or compression ignition, and whether four stroke or two stroke),

(ii) the number and arrangement of its cylinders,

(iii) differences in maximum power of more than 30% (the highest is more than 1.3 times the lowest), or

(iv) engine capacity differences of more than 20% (the highest is more than 1.2 times the lowest);

(e) number, position or interconnection of the powered axles; or

(f) number or position of the steered axles.