North American Output Jumps 22%

Automakers produced 1.4 million vehicles in North America last month compared with 1.1 million units in June 2011, according to Automotive News. The newspaper says June was the 11th straight month of output of more than 1 million vehicles.

Output in June rose 25% to 896,000 units in the U.S., 22% to 222,900 units in Canada and 12% to 271,500 units in Mexico, AN reports. Across the region, production climbed 25% to 624,400 passenger cars and 19% to 766,000 trucks.

The higher output helped boost U.S. light vehicle inventories as of July 1 by six days from a month earlier to a 49-day supply of cars and a 67-day stockpile of trucks. A 60-day supply is considered ideal.

Vehicle stockpiles increased month over month by five days to 59 days at Ford, which is capacity constrained. Inventories remain fairly high at Chrysler and General Motors, growing to 67 days and 76 days, respectively. GM's supply of fullsize pickups continues to swell 134 days for the Chevrolet Silverado and 145 days for the GMC Sierra.

Honda (55 days) and Toyota (41 days) have restored their vehicle stockpiles to near-normal levels for the first time since shortly after Japan's earthquake and tsunami in March 2011, AN notes. Hyundai-Kia inventories remain tight at 30 days.