Mexico City - A record 266,424 automobiles were produced in Mexico in January, up 6.8% from the same month in 2014, according to the Mexican Automotive Industry Association, or AMIA.

The growth in automobile output "was bolstered by the plants that started operations last year" in Mexico, the AMIA said in a statement.

A total of 103,697 light vehicles were sold last month, a figure that was up 21.3 percent from January 2014.

The automotive industry in January experienced "the best level in history for exports of light vehicles in one month, exporting 204,907 vehicles, with 15.2 percent growth," the AMIA said.

Exports to Asia and Canada grew strongly, rising 35.8 percent, compared to the 2014 figures for both regions. Sales to Europe and the United States grew 15.3 percent and 13.7 percent, respectively, while exports to Latin America and Africa fell 25.5 percent and 13.5 percent, respectively.

"Mexico has an important lag ... that it must deal with," AMIA president Eduardo Solis said, referring to the domestic market.

Mexico is the world's seventh-largest manufacturer of automobiles and the No. 4 exporter.

About 83 percent of the vehicles produced in Mexico are exported, with most of the units going to the United States and Canada.