British car exports for 2016 surpassed the million mark in September, following a 12.2% year-on-year rise in the number of cars built for foreign consumption over the first nine months of the year, according to The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
123,119 of those cars were built in September (up 5.0% year-on-year), offsetting a double digit fall in the number of cars built for domestic consumption in the same month (down 10.6% to 36,607).
This meant 159,726 cars were built in the UK in September, up 0.9% compared to September 2015, of which 77.1% were for export.
This also marked the fourteenth consecutive month of production growth.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “British-built cars are in demand across the world as demonstrated by the double digit growth in exports this year, resulting in more than a million cars produced for international markets. The vast majority of cars manufactured here in the UK are destined for abroad and future growth will depend on securing our international competitiveness and the barrier-free access to major global markets that has enabled UK Automotive to thrive.”
