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Ward's Reports Estimated North American Vehicle Production



    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Feb. 7 -- Vehicle production this week in
the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 339,099 units,
down from the 343,813 cars and trucks built last week, according to Ward's
Automotive Reports.
    Including this week's estimates, calendar year North American output now
totals 1,779,992 vehicles, up 0.9 percent from like-2002's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 250,431 vehicles this
week, down 2.9 percent from the 257,862 cars and trucks built last week.  To
date, calendar 2003 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 1,316,559 units,
up 2.1 percent from the 1,290,085 vehicles built in like-2002.
    This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 57,285, a 23.0
percent increase from the 46,580 units assembled last week.  Estimated
calendar-2003 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 275,061 units, down
4.6 percent compared to the 288,393 vehicles produced in like-2002.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S.,
General Motors Corp. accounted for 35.3 percent; Ford Motor Co., 25.9 percent;
Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 13.1 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 7.0
percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 5.1 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 3.1
percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.7 percent; Subaru Automotive Inc., 1.1
percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 1.8 percent; AutoAlliance
International Inc., 0.9 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. of DaimlerChrysler, 0.7
percent; BMW of North America Inc., 1.1 percent; and other manufacturers, 1.2
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     88,578     99,993     104,612     514,824    542,496    -5.1
    Trucks  161,853    157,869     140,471     801,735    747,589     7.2
    TOTAL   250,431    257,862     245,083   1,316,559  1,290,085     2.1
    Canada
    Cars     31,177     25,903      30,375     147,561    140,068     5.3
    Trucks   26,108     20,677      29,630     127,500    148,325   -14.0
    TOTAL    57,285     46,580      60,005     275,061    288,393    -4.6
    Mexico
    Cars     19,581     20,712      16,539     106,952    101,390     5.5
    Trucks   11,802     18,659      15,932      81,420     84,712    -3.9
    TOTAL    31,383     39,371      32,471     188,372    186,102     1.2
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
    Cars    139,336    146,608     151,526     769,337    783,954    -1.9
    Trucks  199,763    197,205     186,033   1,010,655    980,626     3.1
    GRAND   339,099    343,813     337,559   1,779,992  1,764,580     0.9
    TOTAL

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