Ward's Reports Estimated North American Vehicle Production Week 2/20/04

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Feb. 20, 2004 -- Vehicle production this week in the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 356,451 units, up 4.5 percent from the 341,173 cars and trucks built last week, according to Ward's Automotive Reports.

Including this week's estimates, calendar year North American output now totals 2,314,347 vehicles, down 6.2 percent from like-2003's pace.

In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 276,489 vehicles this week, up 6.7 percent from the 259,219 cars and trucks built last week. To date, calendar 2004 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 1,730,134 units, down 4.9 percent from the 1,819,699 vehicles built in like-2003.

This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 50,100, a decrease of 0.2 percent from the 50,205 units assembled last week. Estimated calendar- 2004 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 368,680 units, down 4.8 percent compared to the 387,148 vehicles produced in like-2003.

Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S., General Motors Corp. accounted for 31.2 percent; Ford Motor Co., 27.4 percent; Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 14.7 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 6.1 percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 6.1 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 6.0 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 2.2 percent; BMW of North America Inc., 1.1 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 1.2 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 0.8 percent; Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc., 0.8 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. of DaimlerChrysler, 0.6 percent; and other manufacturers, 1.8 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    102,340    92,915     91,003    611,347     700,317      -12.7
  Trucks  174,149   166,304    157,385  1,118,787   1,119,382       -0.1
  TOTAL   276,489   259,219    248,388  1,730,134   1,819,699       -4.9
  Canada
  Cars     26,947    26,928     31,573    186,801     209,171      -10.7
  Trucks   23,153    23,277     21,587    181,879     177,977        2.2
  TOTAL    50,100    50,205     53,160    368,680     387,148       -4.8
  Mexico
  Cars     14,509    15,295     20,292    104,862     141,829      -26.1
  Trucks   15,353    16,454     19,135    110,671     118,142       -6.3
  TOTAL    29,862    31,749     39,427    215,533     259,971      -17.1
  U.S.\Canada\Mexico
  Cars    143,796   135,138    142,868    903,010   1,051,317      -14.1
  Trucks  212,655   206,035    198,107  1,411,337   1,415,501       -0.3
  GRAND   356,451   341,173    340,975  2,314,347   2,466,818       -6.2
  TOTAL

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

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