Ward's Reports Estimated NA Vehicle Production

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., June 13 -- Vehicle production this week in the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 349,109 units, down from the 354,136 cars and trucks built last week, according to Ward's Automotive Reports.

Including this week's estimates, calendar year North American output now totals 7,818,782 vehicles, down 2.9 percent from like-2002's pace.

In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 257,314 vehicles this week, down 0.8 percent from the 259,297 cars and trucks built last week. To date, calendar 2003 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 5,755,118 units, down 2.6 percent from the 5,906,202 vehicles built in like-2002.

This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 60,136, a 0.7 percent decrease from the 60,530 units assembled last week. Estimated calendar-2003 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 1,264,813 units, down 3.1 percent compared to the 1,304,930 vehicles produced in like-2002.

Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S., General Motors Corp. accounted for 30.0 percent; Ford Motor Co., 27.2 percent; Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 16.2 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 6.8 percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 6.0 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 3.7 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., 0.8 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. of DaimlerChrysler, 0.7 percent; BMW of North America Inc., 1.4 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     97,086    101,110     105,925   2,174,009  2,501,856    -13.1
  Trucks  160,228    158,187     149,053   3,581,109  3,404,346      5.2
  TOTAL   257,314    259,297     254,978   5,755,118  5,906,202     -2.6
  Canada
  Cars     31,581     32,141      31,493     672,688    659,577      2.0
  Trucks   28,555     28,389      27,979     592,125    645,353     -8.2
  TOTAL    60,136     60,530      59,472   1,264,813  1,304,930     -3.1
  Mexico
  Cars     16,672     18,042      21,762     419,484    461,811     -9.2
  Trucks   14,987     16,267      17,726     379,367    383,103     -1.0
  TOTAL    31,659     34,309      39,488     798,851    844,914     -5.5
  U.S.\Canada\Mexico
  Cars    145,339    151,293     159,180   3,266,181  3,623,244     -9.9
  Trucks  203,770    202,843     194,758   4,552,601  4,432,802      2.7
  GRAND   349,109    354,136     353,938   7,818,782  8,056,046     -2.9
  TOTAL

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

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