UK car production rose by 2.5 per cent to 149,654 units in October, according to figures released this week by the Office for National Statistics.

Fuelling the growth was export production, which rose by 5.5% to 97,982 units or 65.5 per cent of the total.

Production for the home market fell by 2.9 per cent. Total production for the year to October now stands at 149,654 units - a 2.5 per cent increase on last year.

SMMT chief executive Christopher Macgowan says: "As European demand picks up next year, and with more enticing models rolling out of UK plants, we expect to see production figures rise again in 2003."