Makers Boost Q1 Output Slate

Reflecting some indecisiveness about North American new-vehicle demand, automakers, barely a month after whacking 50,100 units from their initial first-quarter output plans, have boosted the slated by 60,000 units, to 4,402,200 from the previously slated 4,342,200 vehicles.

Compared with the prior year’s 4,285,500 completions, the revised first-quarter plan is up 2.7%.

Not surprisingly, trucks are at the heart of the industry’s gain, reflecting growing consumer demand.

Led by a 36,500-unit increase at FCA (formerly Chrysler Group) the industry’s latest first-quarter truck production plans call for completion of 2,583,900 units, up 60,000 units, on top of a 13,800-vehicle increase a month earlier.

That equals a 2.5% gain on the 2,520,500 trucks built in like-2014 and third-best for the quarter behind the 2,594,311 produced in 2004 and the record 2,617,080 turned out in 2000.

General Motors, Honda, Kia, Mercedes, Toyota and Volkswagen also increased planned truck output in January-March, ranging from 700 to 12,300 vehicles.

At the same time, automakers have moved to restore some of the 63,900 car assemblies cut from the quarter a month ago. The industry’s latest schedule calls for production of 1,818,300 cars in January-March, 12,300 more than the previously planned 1,806,000 units and 3.0% more than were assembled a year ago.

The gain in part reflects Ford’s first official look at its first-quarter slate that has car output at 259,100 units, 16,100 vehicles more than WardsAuto’s earlier forecast and 2.4% ahead of like-2014’s 253,000 units.

Ford’s increase is offset partially by small cuts by a number of other automakers.

On the other hand, the launch of the all-new F-150 pickup sees Ford scheduling truck assemblies 12.8% lower than those of the prior year and some 17,400 units lower than the earlier forecast.

The brighter first-quarter outlook comes on the heels of a somewhat stronger-than-expected fourth-quarter 2014 finish.

October-December car and truck production now totals 4,327,600 units, 4,400 more than had been estimated earlier, bringing the year’s tally to 17,415,500 vehicles, a 5.5% gain on the 16,503,500 cars and trucks built in 2014.

That was third-best in history, right behind the 17,616,121 vehicles built in 1999 and the record 17,659,700 turned out in 2000.

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