UK car manufacturing is in the midst of its strongest run of growth in 6 years, despite a drop in production in September.

More than 1.13m cars rolled off production lines in British factories in the first nine months of the year. This is up 0.6% on a year earlier and the best performance over the period since 2008, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

However, car manufacturing fell 2.8% in September compared with a year earlier, with 137,068 cars made. The number was dragged down by cars built for export, which were down 8.1% at 102,947. Cars made for UK buyers however were up 17.7% at 34,121 amid thriving domestic demand for new cars.

The SMMT said the drop in output in September was down to planned re-tooling of production lines as factories prepared for model changes, but the fall in exports also coincides with a renewed slowdown in the eurozone, the UK’s main trading partner.

“The continued investment by the sector into new models means the September figures took a slight dip as some plants underwent re-tooling but it is these same new models which will help increase production volumes in the future,” said Mike Hawes, the SMMT’s chief executive.