Ward's Reports Estimated North American Vehicle Production

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., March 7 -- Vehicle production this week in the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 336,627 units, down from the 342,413 cars and trucks built last week, according to Ward's Automotive Reports.

Including this week's estimates, calendar year North American output now totals 3,144,224 vehicles, down 0.9 percent from like-2002's pace.

In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 246,747 vehicles this week, down 2.5 percent from the 253,092 cars and trucks built last week. To date, calendar 2003 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 2,319,792 units, down 0.1 percent from the 2,321,054 vehicles built in like-2002.

This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 49,680, a 0.2 percent decrease from the 49,790 units assembled last week. Estimated calendar-2003 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 485,448 units, down 6.0 percent compared to the 516,480 vehicles produced in like-2002.

Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S., General Motors Corp. accounted for 32.8 percent; Ford Motor Co., 25.2 percent; Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 16.3 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 7.2 percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 5.3 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 2.8 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.2 percent; Subaru Automotive Inc., 1.0 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 1.7 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 0.9 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. of DaimlerChrysler, 0.7 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    2003      2002  2003 vs. 2002
  U.S.
  Cars     84,696     96,047    115,428      881,218     997,267    -11.6
  Trucks  162,051    157,045    149,227    1,438,574   1,323,787      8.7
  TOTAL   246,747    253,092    264,655    2,319,792   2,321,054     -0.1
  Canada
  Cars     26,124     24,190     31,451      259,485     258,806      0.3
  Trucks   23,556     25,600     27,283      225,963     257,674    -12.3
  TOTAL    49,680     49,790     58,734      485,448     516,480     -6.0
  Mexico
  Cars     20,770     20,563     20,257      182,871     182,716      0.1
  Trucks   19,430     18,968     16,397      156,113     151,149      3.3
  TOTAL    40,200     39,531     36,654      338,984     333,865      1.5
  U.S.\Canada\Mexico
  Cars    131,590    140,800    167,136    1,323,574   1,438,789     -8.0
  Trucks  205,037    201,613    192,907    1,820,650   1,732,610      5.1
  GRAND   336,627    342,413    360,043    3,144,224   3,171,399     -0.9
  TOTAL

  Note: All figures include medium- and heavy-duty truck production.
  ON THE WEB: www.wardsauto.com