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Ward's Reports Estimated Production

17 October 1997

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Oct. 17 -- Vehicle production in the U.S.,
Canada and Mexico is expected to hit 338,222 units this week, including
164,760 cars and 173,462 trucks, according to Ward's Automotive Reports.
    With this week's production, estimated calendar year North American output
now totals 12,800,397.  That's an increase of 1.3 percent compared to the
12,631,768 vehicles built in like-1996.
    U.S. vehicle production is expected to total 273,988 units this week, up
6.1 percent from last week's output of 258,183.  Calendar 1997 U.S. vehicle
production now stands at 9,648,531.  That's up 0.3 percent from like-1996
levels.
    In Canada, automakers will manufacture 37,753 cars and trucks during this
Thanksgiving holiday-shortened workweek, a decrease of 13.3 percent from last
week's total of 43,540.  Estimated calendar year Canadian vehicle production
now stands at 2,080,611, up 6.5 percent from the year-ago pace.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the United
States, General Motors Corp. accounts for 36.3 percent; Ford Motor Co., 27.8
percent; Chrysler Corp., 15.6 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 4.9
percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.2 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 3.1
percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 2.7 percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive
Inc., 1.7 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 1.4 percent;
AutoAlliance International Inc., 0.9 percent; BMW of North America Inc., 0.4
percent; and other manufacturers, 2.0 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      128,819  124,150    125,736    4,775,538  4,993,933    -4.37
    Trucks    145,169  134,033    123,751    4,872,993  4,625,726     5.35
    TOTAL     273,988  258,183    249,487    9,648,531  9,619,659     0.30
    Canada
    Cars       19,326   21,274     14,334    1,113,570  1,036,904     7.39
    Trucks     18,427   22,266     17,992      967,041    916,407     5.53
    TOTAL      37,753   43,540     32,326    2,080,611  1,953,311     6.52
    Mexico
    Cars       16,615   16,317     16,356      658,159    657,110     0.16
    Trucks      9,866    9,765      7,903      413,096    401,688     2.84
    TOTAL      26,481   26,082     24,259    1,071,255  1,058,798     1.18

    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
    Cars      164,760  161,741    156,426    6,547,267  6,687,947    -2.10
    Trucks    173,462  166,064    149,646    6,253,130  5,943,821     5.20
    GRAND     338,222  327,805    306,072   12,800,397 12,631,768     1.33
    TOTAL

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