Ward's Reports Estimated Weekly North American Vehicle Production

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., June 6 -- Vehicle production this week in the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 351,867 units, up from the 305,774 cars and trucks built last week, according to Ward's Automotive Reports.

Including this week's estimates, calendar year North American output now totals 7,467,315 vehicles, down 3.0 percent from like-2002's pace.

In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 260,071 vehicles this week, up 23.7 percent from the 210,242 cars and trucks built last week. To date, calendar 2003 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 5,498,491 units, down 2.7 percent from the 5,651,224 vehicles built in like-2002.

This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 60,137, a 2.8 percent decrease from the 61,900 units assembled last week. Estimated calendar-2003 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 1,204,282 units, down 3.3 percent compared to the 1,245,458 vehicles produced in like-2002.

Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S., General Motors Corp. accounted for 31.3 percent; Ford Motor Co., 25.4 percent; Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 17.1 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 6.7 percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 5.9 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 3.6 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.0 percent; Subaru Automotive Inc., 1.0 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 1.6 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 0.7 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. of DaimlerChrysler, 0.7 percent; BMW of North America Inc., 1.4 percent; and other manufacturers, 1.6 percent.

                     NORTH AMERICA FACTORY PRODUCTION
        This Week  Last Week  Same Week   To Date   To Date    Pct. Change
        Estimated  Revised    Last Year    2003      2002      2003 vs. 2002
  U.S.
  Cars    100,504   79,768    113,410   2,076,230  2,395,931      -13.3
  Trucks  159,567  130,474    149,609   3,422,261  3,255,293        5.1
  TOTAL   260,071  210,242    263,019   5,498,491  5,651,224       -2.7
  Canada
  Cars     31,581   32,591     31,159     640,546    628,084        2.0
  Trucks   28,556   29,309     27,660     563,736    617,374       -8.7
  TOTAL    60,137   61,900     58,819   1,204,282  1,245,458       -3.3
  Mexico
  Cars     16,672   17,875     21,946     401,442    440,049       -8.8
  Trucks   14,987   15,757     17,954     363,100    365,377       -0.6
  TOTAL    31,659   33,632     39,900     764,542    805,426       -5.1
  U.S.\Canada\Mexico
  Cars    148,757  130,234    166,515   3,118,218  3,464,064      -10.0
  Trucks  203,110  175,540    195,223   4,349,097  4,238,044        2.6
  GRAND   351,867  305,774    361,738   7,467,315  7,702,108       -3.0
  TOTAL

  Note:  All figures include medium- and heavy-duty truck production.