Ward's Reports Estimated Production

23 April 1998

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., April 23 -- Vehicle production in the
U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit 346,784 units this week, an
increase of 14.7 percent from the 302,244 cars and trucks built a week ago,
according to Ward's Automotive Reports.
    With this week's estimates, calendar year North American output now totals
5,235,299 vehicles.  That lags 2.0 percent behind like-1997's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 261,809 vehicles this
week, up 17.0 percent from the 223,790 cars and trucks built last week.  To
date, calendar 1998 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 3,970,435 units, a
drop of 1.6 percent from the 4,034,373 vehicles built in like-1997.
    Canadian vehicle production should hit 57,916 this week, a 14.1 percent
increase from the 50,755 units assembled a week ago.  Estimated calendar 1998
Canadian vehicle production now stands at 877,776 units, off 2.6 percent from
the 900,985 vehicles produced in like-1997.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the United
States, General Motors Corp. accounts for 32.6 percent; Ford Motor Co., 29.1
percent; Chrysler Corp., 16.4 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 5.6
percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.7 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 2.8
percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 2.7 percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive
Inc., 1.6 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 1.3 percent; Mitsubishi
Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 1.1 percent; BMW of North America Inc., 0.5
percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc., 0.5 percent; and other
manufacturers, 2.1 percent.

                        NORTH AMERICA FACTORY PRODUCTION
             This Week  Last Week  Same Week  To Date  To Date    Pct. Change
             Estimated  Revised    Last Year   1998     1997     1998 vs. 1997

    U.S.
     Cars     115,892   103,936   132,001   1,808,178   1,989,103   -9.10
     Trucks   145,917   119,854   107,569   2,162,257   2,045,270    6.00
     TOTAL    261,809   223,790   239,570   3,970,435   4,034,373   -1.58
    Canada
     Cars      30,833    27,479    29,366     481,116     492,983   -2.41
     Trucks    27,083    23,276    23,995     396,660     408,002   -3.00
     TOTAL     57,916    50,755    53,361     877,776     900,985   -2.58
    Mexico
     Cars      17,412    17,953    17,949     255,215     256,846   -0.64
     Trucks     9,647     9,746     4,925     131,873     150,427  -12.00
     TOTAL     27,059    27,699    22,874     387,088     407,273   -4.96
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
     Cars     164,137   149,368   179,316   2,544,509   2,738,932   -7.10
     Trucks   182,647   152,876   136,489   2,690,790   2,603,699    3.34
     GRAND    346,784   302,244   315,805   5,235,299   5,342,631   -2.01
     TOTAL

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