To provide an instrument panel beam which has sufficient lightweight properties and high rigidity, enables a large space to be secured inside an instrument panel, and easily makes a total length dimension highly accurate, and to provide a method by which such an instrument panel beam can be manufactured advantageously.

The instrument panel beam 10 is arranged astride a driver's seat side and a passenger seat side so as to extend in the vehicle width direction and disposed between car body members located at both sides in the vehicle width direction. A portion of the beam arranged at the passenger seat side is made of an aluminum pipe 14, while a portion of the beam arranged at the driver's seat side is of a steel pipe 12. By friction-welding the aluminum pipe 14 to one surface of a connection plate 16 and by friction-welding the steel pipe 12 to the other surface of the connection plate 16, the beam is structured with the aluminum pipe 14 and the steel pipe 12 connected integrally via the connection plate 16.