LONDON (Reuters) — UK car production rose by 16 percent in September driven by a rise in car exports, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said in a statement.
in Automotive News Europe, 22-10-2015
The SMMT said total output rose to 158,281 units last month.
“Particularly encouraging is the recent upturn in exports, which are higher than they were in 2014, reflecting growth in key overseas markets such as the rest of Europe,” said Mike Hawes, SMMT CEO, on Thursday.
Cars built for exports, which account for around three in four of all UK-made models, rose 14 percent to 117,307 in September compared to the same month last year. Production for the UK market rose by about 20 percent, the SMMT said.
Nissan, Toyota, Honda, BMW Group’s Mini and Rolls-Royce, Volkswagen’s Bentley, as well as Tata’s Jaguar Land Rover, are among companies that build cars in the UK.
The SMMT said last week that sluggish growth in Europe means it now expects automakers in the UK will build about 1.8 million cars in 2017, less than the 1.95 million it forecast last month.