Auto Makers Set Strong Q4 North America Output Plan

In their first go at fourth-quarter production planning, North American auto makers are slating a 5.3% year-over-year increase to 3,728,200 car and truck assemblies, up from prior-year’s 3,539,300 completions.

That’s enough to bring 2012 to a close at 15,625,500 units, up 16% from 13,471,500 in 2011, a year in which Japanese-make production was hampered by natural disasters in Japan and Thailand.

The fourth-quarter gain includes an 11.2% increase in car output compared with just 0.8% for trucks, reflecting the ongoing rebuilding of Japanese-brand inventories, especially those of Honda, the hardest hit by last year’s disaster-related parts shortages.

Honda is set to build 16.8% more cars and light trucks in the October-December timeframe than were assembled in like-2011.

The Q4 increase also reflects the increased popularity of cars and light trucks built by Hyundai and Kia, whose production will rise 18.5% and 19.6%, respectively, from year-ago’s fourth quarter.

Although low-volume, Mitsubishi is gearing up for an 88.8% spike in Q4 output of the Outlander Sport cross/utility vehicle at its Normal, IL, plant, replacing prior-year production of the slow-selling Galant sedan.

The strong Q4 slate comes on the heels of a 10,600-unit cut in the industry’s latest third-quarter plan, the second consecutive month a reduction of that magnitude has been ordered.

Included in the Q3 revision is a 30,700-unit cut in truck assemblies that is partially offset by 20,100 more car builds.

Still, with 3,748,400 assemblies on tap, the July-September program is 14.4% ahead of year-ago’s 3,277,000, provided the tough-talking Canadian Auto Workers union settles new contracts with General Motors, Ford and Chrysler by the Sept. 17 strike deadline that could idle all three auto makers’ local operations simultaneously.

United Auto Workers union contracts in the U.S. are not up for bargaining this year, but a strike in Canada could impact at least some operations that rely on Canadian-made components.

Barring any lost production, the Detroit Three is set to close the year with a 7.6% production increase over 2011, while transplants gear for a 28% gain and dedicated medium- and heavy-duty truck makers plan a 12.4% uptick.

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