Ward's Reports Estimated North American Vehicle Production - 1/28/05

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Jan. 28, 2005 -- Vehicle production this week in the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 346,581 units, up 15.7 percent from the 299,447 cars and trucks built last week, according to Ward's Automotive Reports.

Including this week's estimates, calendar year North American output now totals 1,218,844 vehicles, down 4.7 percent from like-2004's pace.

In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 252,883 vehicles this week, up 16.9 percent from the 216,330 cars and trucks built last week. To date, calendar 2005 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 908,024 units, down 3.7 percent compared to the 942,820 vehicles built in like-2004.

This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 56,459, an increase of 10.4 percent from the 51,136 units assembled last week. Estimated calendar-2005 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 200,543 units, down 5.9 percent compared to the 213,193 vehicles produced in like-2004.

Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S., General Motors Corp. accounted for 26.6 percent; Ford Motor Co., 25.8 percent; Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 15.4 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 6.8 percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 6.9 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 7.0 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.1 percent; BMW of North America Inc., 1.1 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 0.7 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 2.3 percent; Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc., 0.8 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. of DaimlerChrysler, 0.7 percent; and other manufacturers, 2.8 percent.

                     NORTH AMERICA FACTORY PRODUCTION
         This Week   Last Week  Same Week  To Date    To Date   Pct. Change
         Estimated    Revised   Last Year    2005       2004   2005 vs. 2004
  U.S.
  Cars     87,653     82,684     86,504    340,974    328,250      3.9
  Trucks  165,230    133,646    165,764    567,050    614,570     -7.7
  TOTAL   252,883    216,330    252,268    908,024    942,820     -3.7
  Canada
  Cars     29,140     29,941     26,880    107,215    105,689      1.4
  Trucks   27,319     21,195     27,782     93,328    107,504    -13.2
  TOTAL    56,459     51,136     54,662    200,543    213,193     -5.9
  Mexico
  Cars     18,839     16,296     13,997     63,501     63,629     -0.2
  Trucks   18,400     15,685     14,821     46,776     58,770    -20.4
  TOTAL    37,239     31,981     28,818    110,277    122,399     -9.9
  U.S.\Canada\Mexico
  Cars    135,632    128,921    127,381    511,690    497,568      2.8
  Trucks  210,949    170,526    208,367    707,154    780,844     -9.4
  GRAND   346,581    299,447    335,748  1,218,844   1,278,412    -4.7
  TOTAL

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