uk car manufacturing fell 42 in september its worst drop for the month since 1982 an industry body said thursday adding that global chip shortages continue to hurt production and have added more than 24 billion pounds 330 billion to costs the society of motor manufacturers and traders said a total of 67169 cars drove off the production lines in september compared with 114732 in september 2020 production for the first nine months of 2021 was 38 higher at 656776 of those cars manufactured last month 14297 were for the home market compared with 27199 for the same month a year earlier the industry group said the substantial decline in uk car output in september continues the worrying trend we have seen over the past three months the industry is continuing to battle the effects of the pandemic with the shortage of semiconductors stalling production smmt chief executive mike hawes said