Auto Makers Post Strong Q4 Slate

North American auto makers are planning to wrap up 2011 with a strong fourth-quarter slate that is 588,100 units, or 19.4%, ahead of the 3,030,800 vehicles built in like-2010.

The plan puts the industry on course to a 3-year high, with total 2011 production scheduled at 13.7 million-plus cars and trucks.

Ford plans more Q4 overtime for hot-selling Focus.

That marks a 12.5% gain from 2010’s 12,153,000 completions and is more than 4.9 million units, or 56.4%, ahead of the weak 8,760,965-unit tally posted in 2009 at the depths of the global economic crisis.

Related document: North America Production Schedule Q4

Honda and Toyota finally appear to be overcoming the production bottlenecks caused by the March tsunami in Japan that hampered the flow of components to their plants in Canada, Mexico and the U.S.

Honda is scheduling a 28.8% increase over prior-year in October-December, as it endeavors to re-populate barren dealer lots. Likewise, Toyota is gearing up to build 25.1% more vehicles in Q4.

Nissan North America, whose supply chained suffered fewer post-storm disruptions, is scheduling October-December output at 115.8% of its prior-year level, while low-volume Mitsubishi expects to double its fourth-quarter 2010 tally.

Nissan and Mitsubishi are the only Japanese producers in North America on track to better prior-year production for entire-2011, with 13.3% and 67.5% gains, respectively.

With overtime, including Saturday shifts, looming large at its small-car plants, Ford plans to build 8.3% more vehicles in the fourth quarter than a year earlier, when it outpaced rivals Chrysler and GM. Ford output for the year is expected to top 2010 by 10.0%.

In comparison, Chrysler, which was in the midst of a major model re-launch year-ago, plans to build 37.0% more vehicles in October-December and 28.4% more for entire 2011.

GM’s Q4 slate calls for building 13.6% more vehicles in the final quarter than it turned out in like-2010, as it adds overtime for the Chevy Cruze, ramps up output of the Chevy Sonic and launches the Buick Verano. GM is on target for a 12.4% gain for the year.

Collectively, the Detroit Three will operate at 115.3% of 2010’s volume for the year, with transplants at 107.7% of year-ago and dedicated medium- and heavy-duty truck makers at 143.9%.

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