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Ward's Reports Estimated Production

4 December 1997

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Dec. 4 -- Vehicle production in the U.S.,
Canada and Mexico is expected to total 349,358 units this week, including
173,207 cars and 176,151 trucks, according to Ward's Automotive Reports.
    With this week's estimates, calendar year North American output now stands
at 15,075,831.  That's a 2.7 percent rise from the 14,682,926 units built in
like-1996.
    U.S. vehicle production is expected to hit 268,913 units, up from last
week's holiday-shortened total of 159,394.  With this week's estimate,
calendar 1997 U.S. vehicle production totals 11,435,604 units, an increase of
2.0 percent from like-1996.
    In Canada, automakers this week will manufacture an estimated 55,362 cars
and trucks.  That's up 7.5 percent from the 51,492 vehicles built last week.
Estimated calendar year Canadian vehicle production now stands at 2,442,615, a
rise of 5.6 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 35.8 percent; Ford Motor Co., 28.4
percent; Chrysler Corp., 14.9 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 4.8
percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 4.2 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 3.1
percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc., 1.8 percent; New United Motor Mfg.
Inc., 1.7 percent: Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 1.5 percent;
AutoAlliance International Inc., 1.3 percent; BMW of North America Inc., 0.4
percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc., 0.4 percent; and other
manufacturers, 1.7 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    129,718    73,391    123,465    5,619,532   5,778,028    -2.74
     Trucks  139,195    86,003    135,985    5,816,072   5,434,086     7.00
      TOTAL  268,913   159,394    259,450   11,435,604  11,212,114     1.99
    Canada
     Cars     27,789    26,431     31,552    1,303,100   1,218,892     6.91
     Trucks   27,573    25,061     26,315    1,139,515   1,094,271     4.00
      TOTAL   55,362    51,492     57,867    2,442,615   2,313,163     5.60
    Mexico
     Cars     15,700    15,755     13,830      746,773     771,159    -3.16
     Trucks    9,383     9,386     10,020      450,839     386,490    17.00
      TOTAL   25,083    25,141     23,850    1,197,612   1,157,649     3.45
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
     Cars    173,207   115,577    168,847    7,669,405   7,768,079    -1.27
     Trucks  176,151   120,450    172,320    7,406,426   6,914,847     7.11
      GRAND  349,358   236,027    341,167   15,075,831  14,682,926     2.68
      TOTAL

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