Toyota, Nissan global output up in May

The country's top automaker Toyota Motor Corp. said Thursday overall global production rose 3.6 percent from the previous year to 805,948 vehicles on strong output in Asia.

Toyota's overseas production gained 4.3 percent to 400,749 vehicles, while production in Japan expanded 2.9 percent to 405,199 units.

The company said its exports from Japan advanced slightly to 221,396 vehicles--the eighth consecutive month of increase--mainly due to shipments to Asia and Oceania.

Toyota and U.S. rival General Motors Corp. are locked in a dead heat for the title of world's No. 1 automaker. Toyota in December said it aimed to sell 9.85 million vehicles this year--a figure that would surpass the industry record of 9.55 million cars set by GM in 1978.

But earlier this week, a top Toyota executive expressed doubts that the company could surpass the 2.62 million vehicles it sold last year in the U.S. amid an economic slowdown and soaring oil prices that are hurting all automakers.

GM, which does not release sales projections, has particularly struggled this year as buyers flee from SUVs and large pickup trucks. The company revealed plans for further production cuts Monday, on top of its announcement earlier this month that it will close four North American plants by 2010.

The shift in consumer preference to smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles has helped Japanese automakers like Toyota and Nissan gain a competitive edge in an increasingly uncertain market.

Nissan Motor Corp. said global production in May rose 5.1 percent to 275,918 vehicles.

Japan's third-biggest automaker cited healthy demand for export models such as the Rogue and Murano for boosting domestic production 40.3 percent to 100,299 vehicles. Overseas output retreated 8.1 percent to 175,619 units, as vigorous production in Asia, China and Latin America wasn't enough to offset declines in the U.S. and Mexico.