Ward's Reports Estimated Production

18 September 1997

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Sept. 18 -- Vehicle production in the
U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit 337,826 units this week, including
171,221 cars and 166,605 trucks, according to Ward's Automotive Reports.
    With this week's production, estimated calendar year North American output
now totals 11,449,529 units.  That's up 0.8 percent compared to the 11,359,006
vehicles built in like-1996.
    U.S. vehicle production is expected to total 255,911 units this week, a
hike of 6.9 percent compared to the 239,499 units made last week.  Calendar
1997 U.S. car and truck production now stands at 8,581,003, a drop of 0.4
percent from like-1996's pace.
    In Canada, automakers will manufacture 57,721 cars and trucks this week, a
jump of 14.2 percent from last week's total of 50,541 units.  Estimated
calendar year Canadian car and truck production now stands at 1,904,021 units,
up 6.6 percent from like-1996 levels.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the United
States, General Motors Corp. accounts for 36.4 percent; Ford Motor Co., 29.1
percent; Chrysler Corp., 14.8 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 5.0
percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.2 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 2.8
percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 2.5 percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive
Inc., 1.7 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 1.4 percent;
AutoAlliance International Inc., 0.7 percent; BMW of North America Inc., 0.5
percent; and other manufacturers, 1.9 percent.

                       NORTH AMERICA FACTORY PRODUCTION
            This Week   Last Week   Same Week  To Date    To Date  Pct. Change
            Estimated    Revised    Last Year   1997       1996  1997 vs. 1996

    U.S.
     Cars     123,454    112,862    129,594    4,273,605    4,487,395    -4.76
     Trucks   132,457    126,637    120,735    4,307,398    4,124,522     4.43
     TOTAL    255,911    239,499    250,329    8,581,003    8,611,917    -0.36
     Canada
     Cars      32,191     25,863     30,757    1,024,638      951,432     7.69
     Trucks    25,530     24,678     25,605      879,383      835,621     5.24
     TOTAL     57,721     50,541     56,362    1,904,021    1,787,053     6.55
     Mexico
     Cars      15,576     17,744     15,860      590,248      591,078    -0.14
     Trucks     8,618      9,418      7,062      374,257      368,958     1.44
     TOTAL     24,194     27,162     22,922      964,505      960,036     0.47
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
     Cars     171,221    156,469    176,211    5,888,491    6,029,905    -2.35
     Trucks   166,605    160,733    153,402    5,561,038    5,329,101     4.35
     GRAND    337,826    317,202    329,613   11,449,529   11,359,006     0.80
     TOTAL

    Note: All figures include medium- and heavy-duty truck production.
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SOURCE  Ward's