Vehicle production last week in the U.S., Canada and Mexico was expected to hit an estimated 357,005 units, up from the 329,835 cars and trucks built the previous week, according to Ward's Automotive Reports. Including last week's estimates, calendar year North American output now totals 2,450,770 vehicles, up 6.7 percent from like-2001's pace. In the U.S., automakers were expected to produce 260,682 vehicles last week, up 6.6 percent from the 244,496 cars and trucks built the previous week. To date, calendar 2002 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 1,794,997 units, up 11.7 percent from the 1,607,689 vehicles built in like-2001. Last week's Canadian vehicle production was estimated at 59,979, a 24.1 percent increase from the 48,329 units assembled the previous week. Estimated calendar-2002 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 396,699 units, down 4.4 percent compared to the 414,880 vehicles produced in like-2001.

Of the cars and trucks slated for production last week in the U.S., General Motors Corp. accounted for 34.5 percent; Ford Motor Co., 27.5 percent; Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 14.3 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 5.8 percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 5.2 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 3.3 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 2.8 percent; Subaru-Isuzu 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, 0.7 percent; BMW of North America Inc., 1.1 percent; and other manufacturers, 1.3 percent.