Light Vehicle Output in North America to Grow 4%

Output of cars and light trucks in North America will expand 4% to 16.8 million units in 2014, according to London-based research firm LMC Automotive.

New models will push output in the region up 17% to 1.73 million units at Nissan, 15% to 341,200 vehicles at BMW and 20% to 238,100 units at Daimler, says LMC forecasting chief Jeff Schuster.

At Chrysler Group, higher output for Jeep and Ram truck models will offset a sharp decline in production for Dodge as the Avenger model ends its production run. LMC expects Chrysler's net output will rise 4% to 2.58 million units.

Schuster predicts Ford's North American production will slip 2% this year, reduced by the impact of retooling for the aluminum-intensive F-150 pickup truck due late this year, plus declining demand for Edge crossover and Focus small cars prior to their redesign in 2015.

Volkswagen will trim its output in the region 5% to about 623,300 units in 2014 as it continues to struggle with weak sales. Schuster notes that reduced output at VW's factory in Chattanooga, Tenn., will be partly offset by the launch of Golf hatchback production in Puebla, Mexico.