UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                           WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 10-K


(Mark One)

 X    ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT
      OF 1934 FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1996, OR

___   TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF
      1934 FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM _________ TO __________.




      CAPITAL AUTO RECEIVABLES ASSET TRUST 1993-3           33-49307
      -------------------------------------------        ---------------
            (Exact name of registrant as                  Commission file
             specified in its charter)                      number




      Delaware Business Trusts                               13-3284790
      -------------------------------                    -----------------
      (State or other jurisdiction of                    (I.R.S. Employer
       incorporation or organization)                    Identification No.)


      c/o Bankers Trust (Delaware)
      1001 Jefferson , Suite 550,
      Wilmington, Delaware                                 19801
      ---------------------------------------            ----------
      (Address of principal executive office)            (Zip Code)




      Registrants' telephone number, including area code (212) 250-6864
                                                         --------------


      Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:  (None)
      Section 12(g) of the Act:  (None).

      Indicate by check mark  whether the  registrant  (1) has filed all reports
      required to be filed by Section 13 of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934
      during the  preceding  12 months,  and (2) has been subject to such filing
      requirements for the past 90 days. Yes X No .






                                   PART I

ITEM 1.  BUSINESS


The Capital Auto Receivables Asset Trust, (the "Trust") was formed pursuant to a
Trust  Agreement,  between  Capital Auto  Receivables,  Inc. (the  "Seller") and
Bankers Trust  (Delaware),  as Owner Trustee of the related Trust. The Trust has
issued  Asset-Backed  Notes (the  "Notes").  The Notes are  issued  and  secured
pursuant to Indentures, between the related Trust and The First National Bank of
Chicago  as  Indenture   Trustee.   The  Trust  has  also  issued   Asset-Backed
Certificates.






                    CAPITAL AUTO RECEIVABLES ASSET TRUST
                    -------------------------------------

                 CAPITAL AUTO RECEIVABLES ASSET TRUST 1993-3










                         ---------------------------




                                   PART II

ITEM 7.  MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
         AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The  Trust  was  formed  pursuant  to a trust  agreement  between  Capital  Auto
Receivables, Inc. (the "Seller") and Bankers Trust (Delaware), as Owner Trustee,
and issued the following Asset-Backed Notes and Certificates. The Trust acquired
retail  finance  receivables  from the Seller in the  aggregate  amount as shown
below  in  exchange  for  Asset-Backed   Notes  and  Asset-Backed   Certificates
representing  undivided  interests in the Trust. The Trust's property includes a
pool of retail  instalment sale contracts for new and used automobiles and light
trucks,  certain  monies due  thereunder,  security  interests  in the  vehicles
financed thereby and certain other property.

                                  Retail
                                  Finance
                Date of Sale    Receivables
                and Servicing    Aggregate     Asset-Backed      Asset-Backed
  Trust           Agreement        Amount          Notes         Certificates
- ----------   -----------------  -----------  ------------------  ------------
                                 (millions)     (millions)        (millions)

Capital      October 21, 1993    $2,504.9    Class A-1 $  430.0    $  81.4
Auto                                         Class A-2     59.0
Receivables                                  Class A-3     63.0
Asset Trust                                  Class A-4    210.0
1993-3                                       Class A-5    484.3
                                             Class A-6  1,177.2    (Private
                                                                   Placement)

General  Motors  Acceptance  Corporation  (GMAC),  the  originator of the retail
receivables,  continues to service the receivables for the aforementioned  Trust
and receives compensation and fees for such services. Investors receive periodic
payments of principal and interest for each class of notes and  certificates  as
the receivables are liquidated.

                            --------------------


                                    II-1


ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA.



                            CROSS REFERENCE SHEET


Exhibit No.                    Caption                                Page
- -----------   ----------------------------------------------------   ------



    --        Capital Auto Receivables Asset Trust 1993-3,
              Independent Auditors' Report, Financial Statements      II-3
              and Selected Quarterly Data for the Year Ended
              December 31, 1996.

    27.1      Financial Data Schedule for Capital Auto Receivables
              Asset Trust 1993-3 (for SEC electronic filing            --
              purposes only).

                            ---------------------





                                    II-2


                          INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT


March 3, 1997


The  Capital  Auto   Receivables   Asset  Trust  1993-3,   its  Noteholders  and
Certificateholders,  Capital Auto Receivables,  Inc.,  Bankers Trust (Delaware),
Owner Trustee, and The First National Bank of Chicago, Indenture Trustee:

We have audited the accompanying Statement of Assets,  Liabilities and Equity of
the Capital  Auto  Receivables  Asset Trust  1993-3 as of December  31, 1996 and
1995, and the related  Statement of  Distributable  Income for each of the three
years in the period ended December 31, 1996. These financial  statements are the
responsibility of the Trust's  management.  Our  responsibility is to express an
opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.

We  conducted  our  audits  in  accordance  with  generally   accepted  auditing
standards.  Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement.  An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting
the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements.  An audit also includes
assessing the  accounting  principles  used and  significant  estimates  made by
management,  as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

As described in Note 1 to the financial  statements,  these financial statements
are  prepared  on the  basis  of cash  receipts  and  disbursements,  which is a
comprehensive  basis of  accounting  other than  generally  accepted  accounting
principles.

In our  opinion,  such  financial  statements  present  fairly,  in all material
respects,  the assets,  liabilities  and equity of the Capital Auto  Receivables
Asset Trust 1993-3 at December 31, 1996 and 1995, and its  distributable  income
and  distributions  for each of the three years in the period ended December 31,
1996, on the basis of accounting described in Note 1.


s\ Deloitte & Touche LLP
- ------------------------
Deloitte & Touche LLP
600 Renaissance Center
Detroit, Michigan 48243


                                    II-3



              CAPITAL AUTO RECEIVABLES ASSET TRUST 1993-3

              STATEMENT OF ASSETS, LIABILITIES AND EQUITY





                                             December 31,
                                           1996        1995
                                          -------     -------
                                        (in millions of dollars)
ASSETS

Receivables (Note 2) ...................  $ 282.9     $ 705.2
                                          -------     -------

TOTAL ASSETS ...........................  $ 282.9     $ 705.2
                                          =======     =======


LIABILITIES AND EQUITY (Notes 2 and 3)

Asset-Backed Notes .....................  $ 250.4     $ 660.3


Asset-Backed Certificates (Equity) .....     32.5        44.9
                                          -------     -------

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY............  $ 282.9     $ 705.2
                                          =======     =======


Reference should be made to the Notes to Financial Statements.



                                    II-4




                   CAPITAL AUTO RECEIVABLES ASSET TRUST 1993-3

                        STATEMENT OF DISTRIBUTABLE INCOME


                                              Year Ended December 31,
                                           1996      1995       1994
                                          -------   -------   --------
                                             (in millions of dollars)
Distributable Income

  Allocable to Principal ...............  $ 422.3   $ 573.5   $1,160.0

  Allocable to Interest  ...............     24.3      49.9       78.5
                                          -------   -------   --------
Distributable Income ...................  $ 446.6   $ 623.4   $1,238.5
                                          =======   =======   ========


Income Distributed .....................  $ 446.6   $ 623.4   $1,238.5
                                          =======   =======   ========




Reference should be made to the Notes to Financial Statements.



                                    II-5


                   CAPITAL AUTO RECEIVABLES ASSET TRUST 1993-3
                          NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 1.  BASIS OF ACCOUNTING

The  financial  statements of Capital Auto  Receivables  Asset Trust 1993-3 (the
"Trust") are prepared on the basis of cash receipts and cash disbursements. Such
financial  statements  differ from financial  statements  prepared in accordance
with generally  accepted  accounting  principles in that interest income and the
related  assets  are  recognized  when  received  rather  than when  earned  and
distributions  to noteholders  and  certificateholders  are recognized when paid
rather than when the respective obligation is incurred.  Certain expenses of the
Trust are paid by Capital Auto Receivables, Inc. (the "Seller").

NOTE 2.  SALE OF NOTES AND CERTIFICATES

On October 21, 1993, Capital Auto Receivables Asset Trust 1993-3 acquired retail
finance receivables  aggregating  approximately $2,504.9 million from the Seller
in exchange for six classes of Asset-Backed Notes  representing  indebtedness of
the Trust of $430.0  million Class A-1;  $59.0 million Class A-2;  $63.0 million
Class A-3; $210.0 million Class A-4; $484.3 million Class A-5;  $1,177.2 million
Class A-6; and $81.4 million of Asset-Backed  Certificates  representing  equity
interests in the Trust. The Trust property  includes a pool of retail instalment
sale  contracts  for  automobiles  and  light  trucks,  monies  due or  received
thereunder,  security  interests  in the vehicles  financed  thereby and certain
other  property.  The  Servicer  has the  option  to  repurchase  the  remaining
receivables  and  certain  other  property as of the last day of any month on or
after  which the  principal  balance  declines  to 10% or less of the  aggregate
amount financed. On January 15, 1997, GMAC exercised this option and repurchased
the remaining  receivables in Capital Auto Receivables  Asset Trust 1993-3 as of
February 18, 1997.


NOTE 3.  PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST PAYMENTS

Payments of interest on the Class A-1 Notes and the Class A-5 Notes will be made
on the fifteenth day of each month or, if any such day is not a Business Day, on
the next  succeeding  Business  Day,  commencing  on  November  15, 1993 (each a
"Distribution Date"). Payments of interest on the Class A-2 Notes, the Class A-3
Notes,  the Class A-4 Notes,  and the Class A-6 Notes are made on the  fifteenth
day of  January,  April,  July and October or, if any such day is not a Business
Day, on the next succeeding  Business Day,  commencing January 18, 1994 (each, a
"Payment  Date").  Principal  of the  Notes  will be  payable  by  class  in the
priorities and in the amounts as set forth in the Indenture (previously filed by
Form  8-K),   equal  to  the  sum  of  the  Aggregate   Noteholders'   Principal
Distributable Amounts to the extent of funds available therefor.

The  principal  balance of the Class A-1 Notes was paid in full on November  15,
1994;  the principal  balance of the Class A-2 Notes was paid in full on January
18, 1994; the principal  balances of the Class A-3 Notes and the Class A-4 Notes
were paid in full on April 15,  1994;  the  principal  balance  of the Class A-5
Notes was paid in full on January 17,  1995;  and the  principal  balance of the
Class A-6 Notes was paid on February 18, 1997. On each  Distribution Date on and
after the date on which the Class A-2 Notes,


                                      II-6



                   CAPITAL AUTO RECEIVABLES ASSET TRUST 1993-3

                          NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS



NOTE 3.  PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST PAYMENTS (concluded)

the Class A-3 Notes and the Class A-4 Notes were paid (or provided for) in full,
Certificateholders  received,  in respect of the certificate  balance, an amount
equal to the Certificateholders'  Principal Distributable Amount for the Monthly
Period  preceding  such  Distribution  Date,  to the  extent of funds  available
therefor.  The final Distribution Date for the Certificates will be February 18,
1997.

Interest on the outstanding  principal  amount of the Notes accrues from October
21,  1993  or,  from the most  recent  Distribution  Date or  Payment  Date,  as
applicable,  on which  interest  has been paid to but  excluding  the  following
Payment  Date.  The Class A-1 Notes  received  interest at the rate of 3.30% per
annum. The Class A-2 Notes received interest at the rate of 3.25% per annum. The
Class A-3 Notes received  interest at the rate of 3.25% per annum. The Class A-4
Notes  received  interest  at the rate of 3.30% per  annum.  The Class A-5 Notes
received interest at the rate of 3.65% per annum.

The Class A-6  Notes  bear  interest  at the rate of 4.60%  per  annum.  On each
Distribution Date, the Owner Trustee distributes pro rata to  Certificateholders
accrued interest at the pass-through  rate of 4.60% per annum on the outstanding
Certificate Balance.


NOTE 4.  FEDERAL INCOME TAX

The Trust is  classified as a grantor  trust,  and therefore is not taxable as a
corporation   for   federal   income   tax   purposes.   Each   Noteholder   and
Certificateholder,  by the acceptance of a Note or Certificate,  agrees to treat
the Notes as indebtedness  and the Certificates as equity interests in the Trust
for federal, state and local income and franchise tax purposes.













                         --------------------------


                                    II-7



                   CAPITAL AUTO RECEIVABLES ASSET TRUST 1993-3

                    SUPPLEMENTARY FINANCIAL DATA (unaudited)

                    SUMMARY OF QUARTERLY DISTRIBUTABLE INCOME



1996 Quarters                           Principal   Interest     Total
- ------------------------------------    ---------   --------   ---------
                                             (in millions of dollars)

First quarter ......................    $   126.0   $    8.1   $   134.1

Second quarter .....................        114.0        6.6       120.6

Third quarter ......................         99.5        5.4       104.9

Fourth quarter .....................         82.8        4.2        87.0
                                        ---------   --------   ---------
     Total .........................    $   422.3   $   24.3   $   446.6
                                        =========   ========   =========


1995 Quarters                           Principal   Interest     Total
- ------------------------------------    ---------   --------   ---------
                                             (in millions of dollars)

First quarter ......................    $    65.8   $   14.4   $    80.2

Second quarter .....................        187.0       13.9       200.9

Third quarter ......................        169.1       11.8       180.9

Fourth quarter .....................        151.6        9.8       161.4
                                        ---------   --------   ---------
     Total .........................    $   573.5   $   49.9   $   623.4
                                        =========   ========   =========


1994 Quarters                           Principal   Interest     Total
- ------------------------------------    ---------   --------   ---------
                                             (in millions of dollars)

First quarter ......................    $   303.1   $   23.4   $   326.5

Second quarter .....................        405.1       21.3       426.4

Third quarter ......................        238.8       17.9       256.7

Fourth quarter .....................        213.0       15.9       228.9
                                        ---------   --------   ---------
     Total .........................    $ 1,160.0   $   78.5   $ 1,238.5
                                        =========   ========   =========





                                    II-8



                                     PART IV

ITEM 14.  EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES AND REPORTS ON FORM 8K


(a)   (1)   FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

            Included in Part II, Item 8, of Form 10-K.


(a)   (2)   FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES.

            All schedules  have been omitted  because they are not applicable or
            because the information called for is shown in the financial 
            statements or notes thereto.

(a)   (3)   EXHIBITS (Included in Part II of this report).


        --  Capital Auto Receivables Asset Trust 1993-3 Financial Statements for
            the Year Ended December 31, 1996.

(b)         REPORTS ON FORM 8-K.

            No  current  reports  on Form  8-K  have  been  filed  by any of the
            above-mentioned Owner Trusts during the fourth quarter ended 
            December 31, 1996.

ITEMS 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9,  10,  11,  12 and 13 are not  applicable  and have  been
omitted.


                                    IV-1



                                  SIGNATURE



Pursuant to the  requirements  of Section 13 of the  Securities  Exchange Act of
1934,  the Trustees have duly caused this report to be signed on their behalf by
the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.





                  CAPITAL AUTO RECEIVABLES ASSET TRUST 1993-3




                                 by:  Bankers Trust (Delaware)
                                 --------------------------------------
                                     (Owner Trustee, not in its
                                      individual capacity but solely
                                      as Owner Trustee on behalf of
                                      the Issuer.)




                                 s\   Lillian Peros
                                 --------------------------------------
                                      Assistant Treasurer



Date: March 20, 1997
      --------------


                                     IV-2