Nissan Poised to Claim Platform Production Title

Nissan’s D platform is poised to account for more North American production than any other car platform this year, a first-time achievement for the auto maker, according to WardsAuto data.

Ford’s CD3 platform appears set to replace Nissan as the second-place finisher, moving up from fourth spot in 2010.

Toyota, which has claimed the crown every year since 2007 with an assortment of platforms, is not represented among the top five.

Through November, Nissan’s D platform, which supports the Altima midsize and Maxima fullsize cars, accounted for 354,891 car-production units between two assembly plants: Smyrna, TN, and Canton, MS.

The Altima placed second among the U.S. market’s best-selling cars through the first 11 months of 2011, trailing only the Toyota Camry. Ironically, the Camry is shouldered by last year’s most-populous platform, the Camry 6.

Camry production suffered because Toyota’s Japan-based suppliers were shackled by fallout from the March 11 earthquake and subsequent tsunami that stunned the island nation. The car also is all-new for ’12.

Ford’s CD3 platform accounted for 338,389 car-production units through November. It is shared by three midsize entries: the Ford Fusion, Lincoln MKZ and Mazda6.

The Fusion and MKZ are assembled at Ford’s plant in Hermosillo, Mexico, while the Mazda6 is produced by AutoAlliance in Flat Rock, MI, a Ford-Mazda joint-venture company.

Expect the CD3 platform to fall in the rankings when Mazda begins shipping Mazda6 units from Japan. Mazda announced those plans in June, though no timeframe was given.

A pair of General Motors platforms and one from Volkswagen round out the list of top five car platforms.

GM’s Delta 2, which is shared by the Chevrolet Cruze C-car and Volt extended-range electric vehicle, is third with 283,553 production units. The Cruze and Volt are assembled in Lordstown, OH, and Hamtramck, MI, respectively.

The auto maker’s Epsilon 2 platform, which shoulders the midsize Chevrolet Malibu and Buick’s LaCrosse and Regal, followed closely with 277,425 cars.

Volkswagen’s A6, which supports the Jetta, accounted for 268,620 car-production units.

The A6 effectively replaces Honda’s UV platform in the top five car platforms. The UV’s volume, which is shared between the Honda Accord and Acura TL, also suffered the effects of Japan’s natural disasters.

Light-truck production continues to be dominated by GM’s GMT 900 platform. Expect it to hit the million-mark this month, having accounted for 936,820 truck units through November.

The GMT 900 is the segment’s volume champ for four years running, according to WardsAuto data. Its predecessor, the GMT 800, topped the list from 1999-2006.

The GMT 900 shoulders four fullsize pickups, the Chevrolet Silverado and Avalanche, GMC Sierra and Cadillac EXT, and six large SUVs: the Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, GMC Yukon and Yukon XL; and Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban. Production of these vehicles is distributed across three plants.

Output of Ford’s P415, foundation of the F-Series pickup, the U.S. market’s perennial volume sales leader, was running a distant second to the GMT 900. It accounted for 442,798 truck units.

GM’s TE midsize cross/utility vehicle platform was solidly in third position with 436,818 units shared by the Chevrolet Captiva, Saab 9-4X, Cadillac SRX, GMC Terrain and its hot-selling Chevrolet platform-mate, the Equinox.

The Captiva is sold in the U.S. as a fleet-only model and shared an assembly line in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico, with the SRX and 9-4X. The last 9-4X was built for bankrupt Saab in September.

The Terrain and Equinox are produced in Ingersoll, ON, Canada. But Equinox demand has forced GM to ship bodies to its plant in Oshawa, ON, where additional units are assembled.

GM will launch Equinox production at a third site next year when it rehabilitates the former Saturn plant in Spring Hill, TN.

In the only order change from 2010’s full-year truck-platform tallies, Chrysler’s DS pickup platform displaces its RT minivan platform for fifth place with 301,665 units. But that spot is anything but locked up with Ford’s U204 CUV platform less than 400 units behind.

The Ford Escape is based on the U202 platform, which was shared with the Mazda Tribute until output of that vehicle ended in May. The Escape is all-new next year for ’13.

– with James M. Amend

[email protected]