Ward's Reports Estimated North American Vehicle Production Week Of August 18, 2003

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Aug. 29, 2003 -- Vehicle production this week in the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 332,944 units, up 0.6 percent from the 330,850 cars and trucks built last week, according to Ward's Automotive Reports.

Including this week's estimates, calendar year North American output now totals 10,819,704 vehicles, down 4.1 percent from like-2002's pace.

In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 252,881 vehicles this week, down 2.6 percent from the 259,752 cars and trucks built last week. To date, calendar 2003 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 7,965,316 units, down 3.5 percent from the 8,258,237 vehicles built in like-2002.

This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 47,642, a 12.7 percent increase from the 42,275 units assembled last week. Estimated calendar-2003 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 1,710,385 units, down 5.1 percent compared to the 1,802,689 vehicles produced in like-2002.

Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S., General Motors Corp. accounted for 32.0 percent; Ford Motor Co., 26.4 percent; Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 14.5 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 6.7 percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 6.0 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 4.6 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.0 percent; BMW of North America Inc., 1.4 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 1.3 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 1.0 percent; Subaru Automotive Inc., 0.8 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. of DaimlerChrysler, 0.7 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    100,344    98,170    92,428   3,013,675    3,466,453     -13.1
  Trucks  152,537   161,582   143,780   4,951,641    4,791,784       3.3
  TOTAL   252,881   259,752   236,208   7,965,316    8,258,237      -3.5
  Canada
  Cars     25,509    24,920    26,822     925,145      928,918      -0.4
  Trucks   22,133    17,355    23,145     785,240      873,771     -10.1
  TOTAL    47,642    42,275    49,967   1,710,385    1,802,689      -5.1
  Mexico
  Cars     16,735    14,808    20,639     589,212      663,992     -11.3
  Trucks   15,686    14,015    17,753     554,791      556,540      -0.3
  TOTAL    32,421    28,823    38,392   1,144,003    1,220,532      -6.3
  U.S.\Canada\Mexico
  Cars    142,588   137,898   139,889   4,528,032    5,059,363     -10.5
  Trucks  190,356   192,952   184,678   6,291,672    6,222,095       1.1
  GRAND   332,944   330,850   324,567  10,819,704   11,281,458      -4.1
  TOTAL

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

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