Ward's Reports Estimated North America Vehicle Production

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., June 27 -- Vehicle production this week in the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 340,196 units, down from the 348,166 cars and trucks built last week, according to Ward's Automotive Reports.

Including this week's estimates, calendar year North American output now totals 8,511,616 vehicles, down 2.9 percent from like-2002's pace.

In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 253,326 vehicles this week, up 0.2 percent from the 252,717 cars and trucks built last week. To date, calendar 2003 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 6,257,040 units, down 2.7 percent from the 6,430,443 vehicles built in like-2002.

This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 53,316, an 11.7 percent decrease from the 60,376 units assembled last week. Estimated calendar-2003 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 1,379,770 units, down 2.4 percent compared to the 1,413,516 vehicles produced in like-2002.

Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S., General Motors Corp. accounted for 29.4 percent; Ford Motor Co., 26.7 percent; Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 17.6 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 6.8 percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 6.1 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 3.9 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.0 percent; Subaru Automotive Inc., 1.0 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 1.0 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 0.7 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. of DaimlerChrysler, 0.7 percent; BMW of North America Inc., 1.4 percent; and other manufacturers, 1.7 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      94,291     97,282    107,673   2,364,716  2,716,902    -13.0
  Trucks   159,035    155,435    156,193   3,892,324  3,713,541      4.8
  TOTAL    253,326    252,717    263,866   6,257,040  6,430,443     -2.7
  Canada
  Cars      28,746     31,711     26,866     733,598    714,184      2.7
  Trucks    24,570     28,665     25,503     646,172    699,332     -7.6
  TOTAL     53,316     60,376     52,369   1,379,770  1,413,516     -2.4
  Mexico
  Cars      16,711     18,180     20,453     456,259    504,349     -9.5
  Trucks    16,843     16,893     18,038     418,547    418,208      0.1
  TOTAL     33,554     35,073     38,491     874,806    922,557     -5.2
  U.S.\Canada\Mexico
  Cars     139,748    147,173    154,992   3,554,573  3,935,435     -9.7
  Trucks   200,448    200,993    199,734   4,957,043  4,831,081      2.6
  GRAND    340,196    348,166    354,726   8,511,616  8,766,516     -2.9
  TOTAL

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