Wards: 2002 North American Vehicle Production - 16,748,604 - Third Best Ever

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Dec. 27 -- North American manufacturers will record the third largest calendar year vehicle assembly total ever in 2002, according to Ward's Automotive Reports.

The majority of assembly plants are shut down this week for the Christmas holiday season, with most of the closed facilities scheduled to reopen Thursday, Jan. 2. But including estimates for this week and some spot production next week on Dec. 30 and 31, calendar year North American output will finish the year at a projected 16,748,604 vehicles, up 5.9 percent from 2001's 15,814,166.

It ranks behind only 2000's 17,658,240 units and 1999's 17,615,754.

In the U.S., automakers will produce an estimated 12,285,203 vehicles, 7.5% above 2001's tally, but only the fifth best total ever. The best year was 1999's 13,024,978.

Meantime, both Canada and Mexico will post their third best production years in 2002.

Canada factories will assemble an estimated 2,629,098 units this year, 3.8% above 2001's total. Production in Mexico will decline 1.2% to an estimated 1,834,303 cars and trucks.

Of the estimated cars and trucks produced in the U.S. this year, General Motors Corp. accounted for 33.6 percent; Ford Motor Co., 27.7 percent; Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 14.1 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 6.1 percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 5.5 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 3.4 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.0 percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc., 1.1 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 1.7 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 0.5 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. of DaimlerChrysler, 0.7 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     2002       2001   2002 vs. 2001
    U.S.
    Cars         0     91,712         0     5,027,488    4,879,119     3.0
    Trucks   2,010    148,069     1,196     7,257,715    6,545,570    10.9
    TOTAL    2,010    239,781     1,196    12,285,203   11,424,689     7.5
    Canada
    Cars         0     26,201         0     1,369,294    1,274,853     7.4
    Trucks     270     22,089       210     1,259,804    1,257,510     0.2
    TOTAL      270     48,290       210     2,629,098    2,532,363     3.8
    Mexico
    Cars    13,547     18,072     8,471       981,768    1,000,715    -1.9
    Trucks   5,330     16,777     4,959       852,535      856,399    -0.5
    TOTAL   18,877     34,849    13,430     1,834,303    1,857,114    -1.2
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
    Cars    13,547    135,985     8,471     7,378,550    7,154,687     3.1
    Trucks   7,610    186,935     6,365     9,370,054    8,659,479     8.2
    GRAND   21,157    322,920    14,836    16,748,604   15,814,166     5.9
    TOTAL

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