Ward's Reports Estimated North American Vehicle Production

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Aug. 22, 2003 -- Vehicle production this week in the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 337,154 units, up 15.5 percent from the 292,031 cars and trucks built last week, according to Ward's Automotive Reports.

Including this week's estimates, calendar year North American output now totals 10,493,064 vehicles, down 4.2 percent from like-2002's pace.

In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 264,735 vehicles this week, up 15.4 percent from the 229,381 cars and trucks built last week. To date, calendar 2003 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 7,717,418 units, down 3.8 percent from the 8,022,029 vehicles built in like-2002.

This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 39,468, a 16.4 percent increase from the 33,910 units assembled last week. Estimated calendar-2003 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 1,659,936 units, down 5.3 percent compared to the 1,752,722 vehicles produced in like-2002.

Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S., General Motors Corp. accounted for 33.0 percent; Ford Motor Co., 25.9 percent; Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 15.4 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 6.4 percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 5.8 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 4.8 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.2 percent; Subaru Automotive Inc., 1.0 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 0.0 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    100,303     82,323    105,349   2,915,464   3,374,025    -13.6
  Trucks  164,432    147,058    155,134   4,801,954   4,648,004      3.3
  TOTAL   264,735    229,381    260,483   7,717,418   8,022,029     -3.8
  Canada
  Cars     22,849     19,240     32,882     897,565     902,096     -0.5
  Trucks   16,619     14,670     29,821     762,371     850,626    -10.4
  TOTAL    39,468     33,910     62,703   1,659,936   1,752,722     -5.3
  Mexico
  Cars     16,735     14,802     18,097     574,404     643,353    -10.7
  Trucks   16,216     13,938     17,974     541,306     538,787      0.5
  TOTAL    32,951     28,740     36,071   1,115,710   1,182,140     -5.6
  U.S.\Canada\Mexico
  Cars    139,887    116,365    156,328   4,387,433   4,919,474    -10.8
  Trucks  197,267    175,666    202,929   6,105,631   6,037,417      1.1
  GRAND   337,154    292,031    359,257  10,493,064  10,956,891     -4.2
  TOTAL

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