Vehicle production last week in the US, Canada and Mexico was expected to hit an estimated 345,214 units, up 4.2% from the 331,333 cars and trucks built the previous week, according to WardsAuto.com.

Including last week’s estimates, calendar year North American output now totals 4,908,797 vehicles, down 1.8% from like-2004’s pace.

In the US, automakers were expected to produce 255,642 vehicles last week, up 1.9% from the 250,975 cars and trucks built the previous week. To date, calendar 2005 US vehicle output totals an estimated 3,688,689 units, down 1.4% compared to the 3,740,537 vehicles built in like-2004.

Last week’s Canadian vehicle production was estimated at 52,824, an increase of 13.1% from the 46,699 units assembled the previous week. Estimated calendar-2005 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 781,730 units, down 2.8% compared to the 804,609 vehicles produced in like-2004.

Of the cars and trucks slated for production last week in the US, General Motors Corp. accounted for 29.3%; Ford Motor Co., 24.0%; Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler , 15.2%; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 6.2%; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 7.7%; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 6.1%; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.4%; BMW of North America Inc., 1.1%; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 0.7%; AutoAlliance International Inc., 2.0%; Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc., 0.9%; Mercedes-Benz U.S. of DaimlerChrysler , 0.3%; and other manufacturers, 3.1%.