Three Japanese Automakers Boost Output in August; Two Cut Production

TOKYO September 27, 2004; The AP reported that Japan's top three automakers boosted global production in August due to brisk demand in overseas markets, but Mazda Motor Corp. and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. reported lower output, the companies said Monday.

Toyota Motor Corp., Japan's No. 1 automaker, said worldwide production surged 11.9 percent to 483,046 vehicles in August from a year ago. Domestic production rose 11.6 percent to 254,284, with the new Crown Majesta sedan and Paso compact-car models leading gains.

Toyota's overseas production rose 12.3 percent to 228,762 vehicles -- marking the 32nd straight month of gains, mainly in Europe and North America, the world's biggest auto market. Camry sedans, Sienna minivans and Tundra pickup trucks were popular in the United States.

Nissan Motor Co. said worldwide production edged up 1.1 percent to 226,664 vehicles. Japan's second-largest automaker by sales said its overseas plants produced 130,206 vehicles, up 9.3 percent, offsetting an 8.2 percent drop in domestic production to 96,458 vehicles.

Tokyo-based Nissan, which has a partnership with French automaker Renault SA, said output in the United States grew 35.6 percent to 68,891 vehicles, fueled by demand for Altima sedans and Titan pickup trucks.

Honda Motor Co.'s worldwide production totaled 244,650 vehicles, up 18.4 percent, partly thanks to a 63.2 percent increase in production in Asia, outside Japan. Domestic production climbed 12.6 percent -- the third straight rise and the second of double-digit growth.

Honda's Fit compacts and three minivans models -- Odyssey, Elysion and Edix -- were a hit at home while Accord sedans, CRV sport-utility-vehicle and Fit compacts sold well in China, India and other parts of Asia to boost overseas production to 161,731 vehicles, up 21.6 percent.

Meanwhile, production at the two smallest of Japan's five major automakers fell.

Mazda Motor Corp. said its global output slipped 2.0 percent to 71,465 vehicles -- with production at home falling 5.0 percent to 50,637 vehicles.

Mazda, which is 33.3 percent owned by Ford Motor of the United States, said its overseas plants churned out 20,828 vehicles, up 6.0 percent. Driving sales were the popular Premacy minivan and new Mazda 3.

Mitsubishi Motors's global output fell 25.9 percent to 84,883 vehicles amid a recall scandal. The company's truck affiliate recalled hundreds of thousands of vehicles in Japan earlier this year for defects it had covered up since 2000 and that were suspected of causing two fatal accidents in 2002.

Mitsubishi Motors, which had been recovering from a similar scandal two years ago, reported a 46.2 percent drop to 29,046 vehicles in Japan. Overseas production fell 7.7 percent to 55,837 vehicles, with output in North American dropping 12.7 percent. Production in Europe plunged 30.1 percent.