UK vehicle production figures released today by the SMMT show car output in January rose 3.8% to 141,320 units, in the fifth consecutive month of increased production. Production for export surged 12.4% to 96,389 units.

Export figures have seen growth over 22 of the past 25 months.Commenting on last month's production figures, SMMT chief executive Christopher Macgowan said, “We expect this steady growth to continue in the months to come with a total of 1.65 million units produced by the end of 2004.”