Ward's Reports Estimated Production

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Feb. 8 -- Vehicle production this week in the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 336,653 units, down from the 337,882 cars and trucks built last week, according to Ward's Automotive Reports.

Including this week's estimates, calendar year North American output now totals 1,764,422 vehicles, up 5.8 percent from like-2001's pace.

In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 243,000 vehicles this week, down 0.4 percent from the 243,993 cars and trucks built last week. To date, calendar 2002 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 1,287,541 units, up 10.2 percent from the 1,168,127 vehicles built in like-2001.

This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 60,180, a 0.2 percent decrease from the 60,318 units assembled last week. Estimated calendar-2002 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 288,888 units, down 3.4 percent compared to the 299,074 vehicles produced in like-2001.

Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S., General Motors Corp. accounted for 33.8 percent; Ford Motor Co., 26.1 percent; Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 14.6 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 6.2 percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 5.6 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 3.9 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.1 percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc., 1.2 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 1.7 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 0.5 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. of DaimlerChrysler, 0.7 percent; BMW of North America Inc., 1.1 percent; and other manufacturers, 1.5 percent.

                       NORTH AMERICA FACTORY PRODUCTION
           This Week  Last Week  Same Week   To Date   To Date   Pct. Change
           Estimated   Revised   Last Year     2002       2001   2002 vs. 2001
    U.S.
    Cars    101,392    97,734     107,748    539,226    550,329      -2.0
    Trucks  141,608   146,259     118,642    748,315    617,798      21.1
    TOTAL   243,000   243,993     226,390  1,287,541  1,168,127      10.2
    Canada
    Cars     31,145    30,870      29,806    141,158    150,619      -6.3
    Trucks   29,035    29,448      26,225    147,730    148,455      -0.5
    TOTAL    60,180    60,318      56,031    288,888    299,074      -3.4
    Mexico
    Cars     17,599    16,668      20,813    101,980    110,228      -7.5
    Trucks   15,874    16,903      13,848     86,013     89,654      -4.1
    TOTAL    33,473    33,571      34,661    187,993    199,882      -5.9
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
    Cars    150,136   145,272     158,367    782,364    811,176      -3.6
    Trucks  186,517   192,610     158,715    982,058    855,907      14.7
    GRAND   336,653   337,882     317,082  1,764,422  1,667,083       5.8
    TOTAL

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