Ward's Reports Estimated North American Vehicle Production - W/O March 12 2004

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., March 12 -- Vehicle production this week in the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 347,958 units, down 1.0 percent from the 351,594 cars and trucks built last week, according to Ward's Automotive Reports.

Including this week's estimates, calendar year North American output now totals 3,353,587 vehicles, down 3.9 percent from like-2003's pace.

In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 261,906 vehicles this week, down 2.6 percent from the 268,942 cars and trucks built last week. To date, calendar 2004 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 2,511,859 units, down 2.4 percent from the 2,574,702 vehicles built in like-2003.

This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 55,810, an increase of 8.8 percent from the 51,300 units assembled last week. Estimated calendar-2004 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 531,098 units, down 1.4 percent compared to the 538,573 vehicles produced in like-2003.

Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S., General Motors Corp. accounted for 31.3 percent; Ford Motor Co., 25.4 percent; Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 15.5 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 6.4 percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 6.4 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 5.5 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.0 percent; BMW of North America Inc., 1.1 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 1.6 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 0.9 percent; Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc., 0.2 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. of DaimlerChrysler, 0.6 percent; and other manufacturers, 2.1 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     90,152    100,429     92,167      888,655     975,219     -8.9
  Trucks  171,754    168,513    160,294    1,623,204   1,599,483      1.5
  TOTAL   261,906    268,942    252,461    2,511,859   2,574,702     -2.4
  Canada
  Cars     27,579     27,731     26,624      271,857     286,286     -5.0
  Trucks   28,231     23,569     25,901      259,241     252,287      2.8
  TOTAL    55,810     51,300     52,525      531,098     538,573     -1.4
  Mexico
  Cars     15,769     16,231     19,565      156,730     201,700    -22.3
  Trucks   14,473     15,121     17,871      153,900     174,194    -11.7
  TOTAL    30,242     31,352     37,436      310,630     375,894    -17.4
  U.S.\Canada\Mexico
  Cars    133,500    144,391    138,356    1,317,242   1,463,205    -10.0
  Trucks  214,458    207,203    204,066    2,036,345   2,025,964      0.5
  GRAND   347,958    351,594    342,422    3,353,587   3,489,169     -3.9
  TOTAL

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

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