Toyota and Nissan have both recorded improvements in production figures this week, while the troubled firm Honda Motor Co. continues to languish.

Global output rose in August by 4.1 per cent for worldwide market leader Toyota, up by 430,620 units, while Honda showed a 10.5 per cent decline.

Nissan Motor Co., currently riding high in both the American and European markets, recorded a 5.1 per cent rise, representing an extra 224,481 vehicles globally.

The Honda figures - 206,623 fewer cars made worldwide, 73,659 in Japan - represent a 26.7 per cent decline domestically, although overseas output was up by 1.9 per cent - 132,964 vehicles.

Taken as a whole, the figures indicate a continuation of the problems that have dogged Honda recently, while still demonstrating the potential for an upturn in the market generally.