Ward's Reports Estimated North American Vehicle Production

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., March 28, 2003; Vehicle production this week in the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 356,683 units, up from the 354,717 cars and trucks built last week, according to Ward's Automotive Reports.

Including this week's estimates, calendar year North American output now totals 4,200,508 vehicles, up 0.8 percent from like-2002's pace.

In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 260,711 vehicles this week, up 0.2 percent from the 260,271 cars and trucks built last week. To date, calendar 2003 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 3,095,698 units, up 1.2 percent from the 3,058,500 vehicles built in like-2002.

This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 59,066, a 2.0 percent decrease from the 60,289 units assembled last week. Estimated calendar-2003 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 658,184 units, down 2.2 percent compared to the 673,265 vehicles produced in like-2002.

Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S., General Motors Corp. accounted for 33.9 percent; Ford Motor Co., 27.0 percent; Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 14.2 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 6.8 percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 5.3 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 2.7 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.0 percent; Subaru Automotive Inc., 1.0 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 1.8 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 0.7 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    100,670     98,487     91,912    1,174,390   1,307,710    -10.2
  Trucks  160,041    161,784    122,600    1,921,308   1,750,790      9.7
  TOTAL   260,711    260,271    214,512    3,095,698   3,058,500      1.2
  Canada
  Cars     30,970     31,123     21,294      348,377     332,737      4.7
  Trucks   28,096     29,166     23,702      309,807     340,528     -9.0
  TOTAL    59,066     60,289     44,996      658,184     673,265     -2.2
  Mexico
  Cars     18,474     19,068     15,650      240,827     238,286      1.1
  Trucks   18,432     15,089     11,947      205,799     195,975      5.0
  TOTAL    36,906     34,157     27,597      446,626     434,261      2.8
  U.S.\Canada\Mexico
  Cars    150,114    148,678    128,856    1,763,594   1,878,733     -6.1
  Trucks  206,569    206,039    158,249    2,436,914   2,287,293      6.5
  GRAND   356,683    354,717    287,105    4,200,508   4,166,026      0.8
  TOTAL

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