Motoring News

Vehicle production figures increased over August, according to an industry source.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has disclosed that 100,200 vehicles rolled out of UK factories last month, an increase of 37.3 per cent over the year before.

Over the course of 2007, some 994,229 cars have been produced – 0.4 per cent higher than at the same point 12 months previous.

Gains were made across both the home and export markets, although three out of every four vehicles made in Britain this year has been shipped abroad.

Christopher Macgowan, SMMT chief executive, commented that the activity has broken with tradition.

He said: "August is usually a quiet month for vehicle production due to holiday working patterns, but this year it saw the best volume output since 2002."

Earlier this month, Mr Macgowan commented that the UK’s major political parties were losing sight of environmental issues in their attempts to outdo each other.

They are missing the point "in the hunt for a good soundbite," he said.