Toyota production edged up in September

updated 12:03 p.m. ET Oct. 29, 2007

TOKYO - Toyotas' global production rose 3 percent in September, lifted primarily by overseas output, Japan's biggest automaker said Monday.

Honda and Nissaan, meanwhile, each set global production records for the month. Other major Japanese automakers also reported output gains.

Toyota Motor Corp.'s total monthly production rose to 799,909 vehicles, as overseas output climbed 6.1 percent to 365,282 units while domestic production edged up 0.5 percent to 434,627 vehicles.

Earlier this month, Toyota said its global sales for the first nine months of the year totaled 7.05 million vehicles, short of Detroit-based General Motors Corp.'s sales of 7.06 million vehicles for the same period.

But analysts say it's matter of time before Toyota will surpass GM as the world's biggest automaker by sales. Fuel-efficient models from Toyota and other Japanese companies are growing in popularity because of surging gas prices.

Honda Motor Co., Japan's second-largest automaker, set a record for the month both in global production _ up 2.9 percent to 328,241 _ and overseas output _ up 8.1 percent to 216,202 vehicles. Its domestic production fell 5.9 percent.

Nissan Motor Co. said its worldwide production jumped 15.5 percent to 317,024 vehicles, a record for the month.

Nissan, 44 percent owned by Renault SA of France, said overseas output grew 23.9 percent to 203,643 vehicles, a record for September. In the U.S., production rose 1 percent to 61,207 units thanks to an increased production of the Altima model.

Mazda Motor Corp. said its global production rose 3.6 percent to 112,078 vehicles. Mazda, an affiliate of Ford Motor Co. of the U.S., said domestic production rose 5.8 percent to 89,803 vehicles, mainly boosted by healthy sales of the Mazda2 and Mazda3 models.

Mazda's overseas output fell 4.3 percent to 22,275 units due mainly to the termination of production of the second-generation of Mazda2 in Spain and Primacy models in China.

Mitsubishi Motor Corp. reported a 16.4 percent rise in global production to 124,145 vehicles, including a 20.9 percent increase in domestic production and a 9.9 percent rise in overseas output.

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