USA: North American vehicle output seen down this week

Vehicle production this week in the US, Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 339,099 units, down from the 343,813 cars and trucks built last week, according to Ward’s Automotive Reports.

Including this week’s estimates, calendar year North American output now totals 1,779,992 vehicles, up 0.9% from like-2002’s pace.
In the US, automakers are expected to produce 250,431 vehicles this week, down 2.9% from the 257,862 cars and trucks built last week. To date, calendar 2003 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 1,316,559 units, up 2.1% from the 1,290,085 vehicles built in like-2002.

This week’s Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 57,285, a 23.0% increase from the 46,580 units assembled last week. Estimated calendar-2003 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 275,061 units, down 4.6% compared to the 288,393 vehicles produced in like-2002.

Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the US, General Motors Corp. accounted for 35.3%; Ford Motor Co., 25.9%; Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 13.1%; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 7.0%; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 5.1%; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 3.1%; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.7%; Subaru Automotive Inc., 1.1%; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 1.8%; AutoAlliance International Inc., 0.9%; Mercedes-Benz U.S. of DaimlerChrysler, 0.7%; BMW of North America Inc., 1.1%; and other manufacturers, 1.2%.