Ward's Reports Estimated North Vehicle Production - January 9, 2004

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Jan. 9, 2004 -- Vehicle production this week in the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 323,616 units, up substantially from the 13,234 cars and trucks built during the holiday last week, according to Ward's Automotive Reports.

Including this week's estimates, calendar year North American output now totals 336,850 vehicles, down 26.7 percent from like-2003's pace.

In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 251,740 vehicles this week, up from the 3,270 cars and trucks built last week. To date, calendar 2004 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 255,010 units, down 26.1 percent from the 345,267 vehicles built in like-2003.

This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 47,564, an increase from the 510 units assembled last week. Estimated calendar-2004 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 48,074 units, down 21.6 percent compared to the 61,281 vehicles produced in like-2003.

Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S., General Motors Corp. accounted for 27.3 percent; Ford Motor Co., 30.3 percent; Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 12.5 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 6.6 percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 6.6 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 6.7 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.0 percent; BMW of North America Inc., 1.3 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 1.5 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 0.9 percent; Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc., 1.1 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. of DaimlerChrysler, 0.6 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    2004      2003   2004 vs. 2003
  U.S.
  Cars     88,563          0      101,509     88,563   139,734     -36.6
  Trucks  163,177      3,270      150,870    166,447   205,533     -19.0
  TOTAL   251,740      3,270      252,379    255,010   345,267     -26.1
  Canada
  Cars     26,377          0       25,827     26,377    34,066     -22.6
  Trucks   21,187        510       21,306     21,697    27,215     -20.3
  TOTAL    47,564        510       47,133     48,074    61,281     -21.6
  Mexico
  Cars     10,997      8,287       19,649     19,284    31,966     -39.7
  Trucks   13,315      1,167       16,922     14,482    21,220     -31.8
  TOTAL    24,312      9,454       36,571     33,766    53,186     -36.5
  U.S.\Canada\Mexico
  Cars    125,937      8,287      146,985    134,224   205,766     -34.8
  Trucks  197,679      4,947      189,098    202,626   253,968     -20.2
  GRAND   323,616     13,234      336,083    336,850   459,734     -26.7
  TOTAL

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

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