Ward's Reports Estimated North American Vehicle Production

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Feb. 28 -- Vehicle production this week in the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 350,630 units, up from the 339,885 cars and trucks built last week, according to Ward's Automotive Reports.

Including this week's estimates, calendar year North American output now totals 2,812,804 vehicles, up 0.1 percent from like-2002's pace.

In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 258,696 vehicles this week, up 4.5 percent from the 247,630 cars and trucks built last week. To date, calendar 2003 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 2,076,279 units, up 1.0 percent from the 2,056,399 vehicles built in like-2002.

This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 51,747, a 2.4 percent decrease from the 53,000 units assembled last week. Estimated calendar-2003 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 437,123 units, down 4.5 percent compared to the 457,746 vehicles produced in like-2002.

Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S., General Motors Corp. accounted for 32.9 percent; Ford Motor Co., 27.7 percent; Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 14.7 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 6.8 percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 5.1 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 3.1 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., 1.2 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    2003       2002   2003 vs. 2002
  U.S.
  Cars     99,633     90,953     113,875    799,958     881,839     -9.3
  Trucks  159,063    156,677     147,446  1,276,321   1,174,560      8.7
  TOTAL   258,696    247,630     261,321  2,076,279   2,056,399      1.0
  Canada
  Cars     25,617     31,573      30,902    234,788     227,355      3.3
  Trucks   26,130     21,427      29,693    202,335     230,391    -12.2
  TOTAL    51,747     53,000      60,595    437,123     457,746     -4.5
  Mexico
  Cars     20,770     20,338      20,122    162,704     162,459      0.2
  Trucks   19,417     18,917      16,070    136,698     134,752      1.4
  TOTAL    40,187     39,255      36,192    299,402     297,211      0.7
  U.S.\Canada\Mexico
  Cars    146,020    142,864     164,899  1,197,450   1,271,653     -5.8
  Trucks  204,610    197,021     193,209  1,615,354   1,539,703      4.9
  GRAND   350,630    339,885     358,108  2,812,804   2,811,356      0.1
  TOTAL

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