Dow Jones Newswires (Mexico City) - Mexico's auto production in May rose 19% compared with the year-ago month to 213,329 units on strong exports to the U.S. and Latin America, and on a continuing recovery in domestic sales, the Mexican Automobile Industry Association said Wednesday.
May auto exports rose 21% compared with May 2010 to 176,951 cars and light trucks, said the association known as AMIA.
AMIA President Eduardo Solis said the local auto industry has more than recovered from the 2008-2009 economic crisis and is setting new records for production and exports.
Domestic auto sales in May rose 11% to 68,634 vehicles. It was the 15th consecutive month of increases in local auto sales, but overall unit numbers are still below those registered before the economic crisis, said Guillermo Rosales, government liaison for the Mexican Association of Automobile Distributors.
The May figures returned to positive year-on-year performance for the industry--Mexico's largest manufacturing sector--after the ripple effects of Japan's March earthquake and tsunami contributed to a decline in April as Japanese auto makers slowed output in North America because of parts shortages.
