Engineering news
The number of cars built in the UK reached a seven year high of more than 1.5 million in 2014, with a new car rolling off a production line every 20 seconds.
A hugely successful year for the industry ended with the strongest December in a decade, with 108,000 cars produced last month.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said there was a 1.2% increase in vehicle production in 2014 compared with the previous year.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: "Placed in context, a 1.2% growth in UK car manufacturing in 2014 represents a very successful year.
"The industry has overcome various challenges, including slower than expected EU recovery and weakness in some global markets.
"More than £7 billion of investment into UK production facilities has been announced in the past two years, and we are now seeing the effects as new models begin production - with more expected in 2015.
"UK car manufacturing is now more diverse than ever, with a unique combination of volume, premium and specialist brands giving our products truly global appeal. This is epitomised by the doubling of car export values in the decade from 2005 to 2014."
Almost four out of five new cars built in the UK in 2014 were exported, slightly down on the previous year, amid "challenges" in some export markets, said the SMMT.
Nissan's factory in Sunderland built the most cars last year (500,238), followed by Jaguar Land Rover's plants in Castle Bromwich, Halewood and Solihull (449,507), the Mini site at Cowley, Oxford (178,993), Toyota at Burnaston, Derby (172,215), Honda at Swindon (121,799) and Vauxhall at Ellesmere Port (77,836).