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Ward's Reports Estimated North American VehicleProduction



    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Jan. 24 -- Vehicle production this week in
the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 311,235 units,
down from the 337,356 cars and trucks built last week, according to Ward's
Automotive Reports.
    Including this week's estimates, calendar year North American output now
totals 1,107,992 vehicles, up 1.7 percent from like-2002's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 215,070 vehicles this
week, down 13.2 percent from the 247,753 cars and trucks built last week.  To
date, calendar 2003 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 807,863 units, up
0.9 percent from the 800,548 vehicles built in like-2002.
    This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 55,947, a 5.8
percent increase from the 52,865 units assembled last week.  Estimated
calendar-2003 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 170,093 units, up 1.0
percent compared to the 168,390 vehicles produced in like-2002.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S.,
General Motors Corp. accounted for 31.7 percent; Ford Motor Co., 28.3 percent;
Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 13.4 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 8.1
percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 5.7 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 2.8
percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.1 percent; Subaru Automotive Inc., 1.2
percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 1.6 percent; AutoAlliance
International Inc., 0.7 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. of DaimlerChrysler, 0.8
percent; BMW of North America Inc., 1.0 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    2003      2002    2003 vs. 2002
    U.S.
    Cars     87,497    102,102     91,482    329,333    340,100     -3.2
    Trucks  127,573    145,651    124,682    478,530    460,448      3.9
    TOTAL   215,070    247,753    216,164    807,863    800,548      0.9
    Canada
    Cars     30,279     24,901     24,366     89,246     79,143     12.8
    Trucks   25,668     27,964     25,038     80,847     89,247     -9.4
    TOTAL    55,947     52,865     49,404    170,093    168,390      1.0
    Mexico
    Cars     20,801     17,620     19,898     69,929     67,713      3.3
    Trucks   19,417     19,118     15,914     60,107     53,242     12.9
    TOTAL    40,218     36,738     35,812    130,036    120,955      7.5
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
    Cars    138,577    144,623    135,746    488,508    486,956      0.3
    Trucks  172,658    192,733    165,634    619,484    602,937      2.7
    GRAND   311,235    337,356    301,380  1,107,992  1,089,893      1.7
    TOTAL

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

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