How the Japan crisis affected automakers
(FILES) This file photo taken on June 5, 2009 shows a factory worker checking an assembled Prius hybrid vehicle in its final stage of the assembly line at Toyota Motors' Tsutsumi factory in Toyota, Aichi prefecture. Shares in Japan's top automakers plunged by more than 10 percent on March 14 as investors reacted to plant shutdowns after the biggest earthquake in Japan's history. Automakers Toyota, Nissan and Honda announced the total suspension of production on March 13. AFP PHOTO / FILES / TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA (Photo credit should read TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/Getty Images) Credit: Getty/TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA
How auto companies have been affected by Japan's disaster:
In Japan:
• Toyota Motor Corp., which builds the Prius hybrid and Lexus luxury cars in Japan, has shut its assembly plants there through at least Tuesday at the cost of about 110,000 cars and trucks. Among Japan's automakers, the company will likely be the least affected by the disaster. That's because most of its parts makers are located southwest of Tokyo, far from the disaster's epicenter in the northeast. The company originally said production could resume March 16.
• Honda Motor Co., which makes the subcompact Fit and the Civic Hybrid in Japan, has extended its date to resume production by three days to March 23. Honda could be hurt more than others. More than 100 of its suppliers are based in the area near the earthquake and tsunami, according to market research firm IHS.
• Nissan Motor Co. and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. have restarted some plants using their stockpiles of parts. But that will continue only as long as supplies last.
• Mazda Motor Corp.'s Japan production remains idled through at least the middle of next week, IHS estimates.
In North America:
• General Motors Co. is halting production at its Shreveport, La., assembly plant next week because of shortages of parts from Japan.
• Subaru of America has stopped overtime shifts at its only North American plant in Lafayette, Ind. The plant produced 150,000 vehicles last year — 55 percent of the Subarus sold in the United States. The plant makes the Outback wagon, the Tribeca wagon and the Legacy sedan.
• Toyota is suspending overtime shifts and Saturday production at its 13 plants in North America.
• Nissan, Honda, Mazda and Mitsubishi Motors say they haven't changed their production plans in North America. Mitsubishi says it has enough parts on hand or en route to operate its Illinois assembly plant through April 3.
Source: HIS Automotive, manufacturers.
