Ward's Reports Estimated North American Vehicle Production Week of March 19, 2004

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., March 19 -- Vehicle production this week in the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 334,614 units, down 2.8 percent from the 344,086 cars and trucks built last week, according to Ward's Automotive Reports.

Including this week's estimates, calendar year North American output now totals 3,683,447 vehicles, down 4.1 percent from like-2003's pace.

In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 254,862 vehicles this week, down 1.0 percent from the 257,446 cars and trucks built last week. To date, calendar 2004 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 2,762,440 units, down 2.6 percent from the 2,834,894 vehicles built in like-2003.

This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 50,939, a decrease of 9.8 percent from the 56,451 units assembled last week. Estimated calendar- 2004 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 582,771 units, down 2.4 percent compared to the 597,045 vehicles produced in like-2003.

Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S., General Motors Corp. accounted for 29.5 percent; Ford Motor Co., 26.0 percent; Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 15.5 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 6.6 percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 6.6 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 6.5 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.1 percent; BMW of North America Inc., 1.3 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 1.1 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      89,012    87,143     98,487    974,658  1,073,706    -9.2
  Trucks   165,850   170,303    161,705  1,787,782  1,761,188     1.5
  TOTAL    254,862   257,446    260,192  2,762,440  2,834,894    -2.6
  Canada
  Cars      27,664    27,771     31,124    299,640    317,410    -5.6
  Trucks    23,275    28,680     27,348    283,131    279,635     1.3
  TOTAL     50,939    56,451     58,472    582,771    597,045    -2.4
  Mexico
  Cars      15,310    15,947     18,457    171,859    220,157   -21.9
  Trucks    13,503    14,242     15,651    166,377    189,845   -12.4
  TOTAL     28,813    30,189     34,108    338,236    410,002   -17.5
  U.S.\Canada\Mexico
  Cars     131,986   130,861    148,068  1,446,157  1,611,273   -10.2
  Trucks   202,628   213,225    204,704  2,237,290  2,230,668     0.3
  GRAND    334,614   344,086    352,772  3,683,447  3,841,941    -4.1
  TOTAL

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

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