Ward's: North American Vehivle Production At 323,589 This Week

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Nov. 15 - Vehicle production this week in the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 323,589 units, down from the 331,830 cars and trucks built last week, according to Ward's Automotive Reports.

Including this week's estimates, calendar year North American output now totals 15,040,124 vehicles, up 6.1 percent from like-2001's pace.

In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 228,576 vehicles this week, down 2.8 percent from the 235,167 cars and trucks built last week. To date, calendar 2002 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 11,024,530 units, up 7.8 percent from the 10,222,502 vehicles built in like-2001.

This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 59,684, a 0.8 percent decrease from the 60,151 units assembled last week. Estimated calendar-2002 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 2,389,087 units, up 3.8 percent compared to the 2,302,685 vehicles produced in like-2001.

Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S., General Motors Corp. accounted for 31.9 percent; Ford Motor Co., 25.9 percent; Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 13.2 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 7.4 percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 6.8 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 4.0 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.9 percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc., 1.0 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 1.5 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 0.7 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. of DaimlerChrysler, 0.8 percent; BMW of North America Inc., 1.3 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    2002       2001   2002 vs. 2001
    U.S.
    Cars      94,811    95,896     90,774    4,548,009   4,400,584     3.4
    Trucks   133,765   139,271    126,416    6,476,521   5,821,918    11.2
    TOTAL    228,576   235,167    217,190   11,024,530  10,222,502     7.8
    Canada
    Cars      31,259    31,779     28,726    1,231,143   1,166,038     5.6
    Trucks    28,425    28,372     29,183    1,157,944   1,136,647     1.9
    TOTAL     59,684    60,151     57,909    2,389,087   2,302,685     3.8
    Mexico
    Cars      17,517    19,741     21,630      873,451     885,797    -1.4
    Trucks    17,812    16,771     18,162      753,056     762,910    -1.3
    TOTAL     35,329    36,512     39,792    1,626,507   1,648,707    -1.3
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
    Cars     143,587   147,416    141,130    6,652,603   6,452,419     3.1
    Trucks   180,002   184,414    173,761    8,387,521   7,721,475     8.6
    GRAND    323,589   331,830    314,891   15,040,124  14,173,894     6.1
    TOTAL

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

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