CAIRO: Egyptian auto production surged 40 percent in 2005 compared with a year earlier according to figures from the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d'Automobiles (OICA). "Egypt's local automotive production in 2005 mounted to 69,233 units compared with 49,335 a year ago, the OICA said. Local production of light trucks jumped 97 percent to 14,626 units last year from 7,424 units in 2004. Production of passenger cars grew 39 percent to 48,034 units in 2005 from 34,591 units a year earlier. Meanwhile, Egyptian production of heavy trucks fell 14 percent to 3,882 units in 2005 from 4,540 units a year ago and buses production slowed by 4 percent to 2,681 units from 2,780 units in 2004. Raafat Masrouga, chairman of Automotive Market Information Center in Egypt, pointed out that increased local production of passenger cars was driven by growth of car sales to 100,000 units in 2005. "Production of light trucks also received a powerful boost from growing trade and shipping services in the Egyptian provinces, he added. Masrouga attributed the fall in local production of heavy trucks and buses to the high cost of production inputs required for building such vehicles. NOOZ
