Automakers Tweak NA Output

With just two months to go, automakers in North America are still geared for a 17.3 million-unit finish for the year, despite some recent fiddling that trimmed 44% of the 46,600-unit increase put in place a month ago

That decline appears to result from some manufacturers pulling ahead units from October-December into late September, which ended 32,800 units, or 2.2%, ahead of earlier estimates, while adjusted August figures rose by 4,900 cars and trucks.

The industry’s latest Q4 action includes long-awaited adjustments by Ford, in which the Dearborn, MI, automaker posted a fourth-quarter tally calling for output 711,700 vehicles, only 8,800 units short of WardsAuto’s earlier forecast of 720,500 completions.

Both Fiat Chrysler and General Motors held fast to their earlier Q4 plans as part of the industry’s new October-December slate calling for the production of 4,289,100 cars and trucks, a figure that still stands 26,100 units higher than the 4,263,000 units originally set forth.

Cuts centered on Nissan (down 15,000 units)  Honda (off 5,000) and a number of smaller transplants including reductions of 3,500 cars and trucks at Mercedes, 3,000 CUVs at Mitsubishi and 500 units at BMW.

Overall, cars accounted for the bulk of the “loss” with 17,000 assemblies having been erased, compared with the paring of just 3,500 light trucks.

With freight tonnage still strong, dedicated medium- and heavy-duty truck makers are boosting their October-December production plans by 3,500 units to help meet new-vehicle demand from the trucking industry.

But, thanks to a 37,700-unit gain in the final third-quarter count, output for 2014 stands at 17,370,100 units through Dec. 31, up 17,200 units from the 17,352,900 completions forecast a month ago and 5.3% ahead of prior-year’s 16,503,500 completions.

For the year, Detroit Three output is forecast to run 2.9% ahead of 2013, at 9,142.000 units. Transplant production of 7,848,500 vehicles is up 7.9% and medium-heavy-truck makers are expected to see a 13.9% increase to 370,600 units.

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