Mazda’s domestic production, exports, and overseas production volumeall rose in the first half of 2006, compared with the previous year, due primarily to what the automaker called “steady demand” for the new US market-only CX-7 crossover and recently updated 6.
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Japanese domestic production of cars was up 14.1% to 438,998 units while commercial vehicle output rose 23.4% to 31,775.
Domestic production has been rising for eight consecutive months, reflecting the start of production of the North America-bound CX-7 and increased output of the 6 and MX-5 roadster.
H1 domestic car sales, though were off 8.1% to 120,660 units while commercial vehicle sales rose 22.3% to 29,307. Sales of minivehicles (mostly made by other Japanese automakers on an OEM basis for Mazda) rose 5.1% to 30,543.
Mazda said sales of the MPV, 3 and MX-5 were steady but new competitor models hit sales of the 5 to offset the increase.
Exports from Japan rose 23.2% to 340,189 in the first half – 338,484 cars (+23.1%) and just 1,705 commercial vehicles (+30.7%). These results mainly reflect the increased exports of the CX-7 and MX-5 models, though “robust” shipments of the 5 and 6 to Europe contributed.
Exports to North America rose 38% year on year to 130,297 units, with increased volume of the CX-7, MX-5, and 5 the major contributors.
Overseas production was up 25.7% to 165,687 – 123,866 cars (+31.2%) and 41,821 commercials (+11.7%).
For the first time since 2004, overseas production volumes increased year on year, up 25.7% for the first half, and a record for this six-month period.
This mainly reflects increased overseas production of the 3 and 6.
Increased 6 production in China led to an increase to 76,566 units, up 61.1%.
