Ward's Reports Estimated North American Vehicle Production

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Sept. 5 -- Vehicle production this week in the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 293,844 units, down 10.0 percent from the 326,526 cars and trucks built last week, according to Ward's Automotive Reports.

Including this week's estimates, calendar year North American output now totals 11,107,011 vehicles, down 4.1 percent from like-2002's pace.

In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 215,594 vehicles this week, down 11.7 percent from the 244,236 cars and trucks built last week. To date, calendar 2003 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 8,172,266 units, down 3.5 percent from the 8,469,917 vehicles built in like-2002.

This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 44,485, a 9.7 percent decrease from the 49,243 units assembled last week. Estimated calendar-2003 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 1,756,351 units, down 5.1 percent compared to the 1,849,889 vehicles produced in like-2002.

Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S., General Motors Corp. accounted for 34.0 percent; Ford Motor Co., 25.4 percent; Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 14.6 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 6.3 percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 5.7 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 4.5 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 2.9 percent; BMW of North America Inc., 1.3 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 1.5 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 0.7 percent; Subaru Automotive Inc., 1.0 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. of DaimlerChrysler, 0.6 percent; and other manufacturers, 1.5 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      83,282     94,135     81,598   3,090,749   3,548,051   -12.9
  Trucks   132,312    150,101    130,082   5,081,517   4,921,866     3.2
  TOTAL    215,594    244,236    211,680   8,172,266   8,469,917    -3.5
  Canada
  Cars      21,153     29,397     24,559     950,185     953,477    -0.3
  Trucks    23,332     19,846     22,641     806,166     896,412   -10.1
  TOTAL     44,485     49,243     47,200   1,756,351   1,849,889    -5.1
  Mexico
  Cars      16,735     15,403     19,965     604,467     683,957   -11.6
  Trucks    17,030     17,644     19,064     573,927     575,604    -0.3
  TOTAL     33,765     33,047     39,029   1,178,394   1,259,561    -6.4
  U.S.\Canada\Mexico
  Cars     121,170    138,935    126,122   4,645,401   5,185,485   -10.4
  Trucks   172,674    187,591    171,787   6,461,610   6,393,882     1.1
  GRAND    293,844    326,526    297,909  11,107,011  11,579,367    -4.1
  TOTAL

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

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