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Ward's Reports Estimated North American Vehicle Production- December 12, 2003

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Dec. 12, 2003 -- Vehicle production this week in the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 362,878 units, up 0.7 percent from the 360,293 cars and trucks built last week, according to Ward's Automotive Reports.

Including this week's estimates, calendar year North American output now totals 15,834,844 vehicles, down 3.2 percent from like-2002's pace.

In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 279,911 vehicles this week, up 2.2 percent from the 273,846 cars and trucks built last week. To date, calendar 2003 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 11,752,972 units, down 2.1 percent from the 12,006,411 vehicles built in like-2002.

This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 54,496, a 1.3 percent increase from the 53,817 units assembled last week. Estimated calendar-2003 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 2,473,788 units, down 4.9 percent compared to the 2,600,088 vehicles produced in like-2002.

Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S., General Motors Corp. accounted for 32.7 percent; Ford Motor Co., 25.2 percent; Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 15.6 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 6.2 percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 5.9 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 5.1 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 2.8 percent; BMW of North America Inc., 1.1 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 1.5 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 0.9 percent; Subaru Automotive Inc., 0.9 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. of DaimlerChrysler, 0.6 percent; and other manufacturers, 1.5 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      98,384    94,097    110,518   4,401,788  4,927,753    -10.7
  Trucks   181,527   179,749    171,290   7,351,184  7,078,658      3.8
  TOTAL    279,911   273,846    281,808  11,752,972 12,006,411     -2.1
  Canada
  Cars      26,577    24,023     30,993   1,309,239  1,346,459     -2.8
  Trucks    27,919    29,794     21,978   1,164,549  1,253,629     -7.1
  TOTAL     54,496    53,817     52,971   2,473,788  2,600,088     -4.9
  Mexico
  Cars      12,394    14,907     17,670     796,389    953,385    -16.5
  Trucks    16,077    17,723      9,970     811,695    806,837      0.6
  TOTAL     28,471    32,630     27,640   1,608,084  1,760,222     -8.6
  U.S.\Canada\Mexico
  Cars     137,355   133,027    159,181   6,507,416  7,227,597    -10.0
  Trucks   225,523   227,266    203,238   9,327,428  9,139,124      2.1
  GRAND    362,878   360,293    362,419  15,834,844 16,366,721     -3.2
  TOTAL

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

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