March 2006

Total global production totaled 133,366 units, a year-on-year increase of 2.1 percent. Japanese production of 81,094 units represented a 33.6 percent increase from the year ago period.

Total vehicle sales in Japan came to 48,600 units, a strong 10.5 percent increase over March 2005 due to continued strength in the new models Outlander and "i". March was the eleventh consecutive month of year-on-year sales increase for the domestic market, a testament to the solid recovery being seen in the Japanese market. Total sales for passenger cars came to 35,987 units, a robust 20.8 percent increase over the volume for March 2005, while commercial vehicle sales fell to 12,613 units, or 88.9 percent of the year ago period total.

Overseas production declined to 52,272 units, or 74.8 percent of March 2005 production. European production totaled 7,948 units, 112.6 percent of the year ago level, and Asian production totaled 33,631 units, 64.3 percent of the total for the previous period. North American production came to 8,460 units, 107.4 percent year-on-year due to production ramp up of the new Eclipse Spyder convertible.

Total exports from Japan increased 75.5 percent over March 2005 to 48,145 units. Exports to Europe increased to 17,839 units, a 76.9 percent gain year-on-year, due to continued robust sales growth in Russia. Exports to Asia rose to 5,150 units, or 88.0 percent above the export volume in the same period last year, while exports to the North American market fell 32.8 percent of the volume for March 2005 due to efforts to decrease dealer inventories.

Fiscal Year 2005

Fiscal year 2005 saw total global production of 1,381,428 units, or 101.1 percent of fiscal year 2004 production. Within this figure, domestic production came to 706,048 units, a strong 17.8 percent increase year-on-year.

Japanese vehicle sales in the period totaled 256,220 units, 113.0 percent of the fiscal year 2004 level, showing strong evidence of recovery in the domestic market. Passenger car volume was 177,777 units, a 20.6 percent gain over the year ago period, while commercial vehicle volume fell slightly to 78,443 units, 99.0 percent of last year's figure. Market share of the fiscal year was 4.6 percent, an improvement of 0.7 percentage points over the share seen in fiscal year 2004.

Globally, production in Europe for the year totaled 68,551 units, 66.5 percent of the previous period's total mainly due to the ceasing of production of Space Star and Pajero Pinin. Production in Asia declined to 470,244 units, or 90.6 percent of the year ago total, and North America saw production of 89,139 units, a decline of 9.6 percent year-on-year.

Lastly, exports to Europe rose 26.1 percent over fiscal year 2004 to 134,339 units, again due to the strong growth seen in Russia. Shipments to the North American market came to 37,519 units, or 84.5 percent of figures from last year, and exports to Asia totaled 37,640 units, 67.1 percent of the total reached last year.