Ward's Reports Estimated Production

30 April 1998

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., April 30 -- Vehicle production in the
U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit 351,061 units this week, a decrease
of 1.6 percent from the 356,807 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
5,601,651 vehicles.  That lags 1.1 percent behind like-1997's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 264,256 vehicles this
week, down 2.4 percent from the 270,693 cars and trucks built last week.  To
date, calendar 1998 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 4,246,642 units, a
drop of 0.7 percent from the 4,277,996 vehicles built in like-1997.
    Canadian vehicle production should hit 60,686 this week, a 3.6 percent
increase from the 58,585 units assembled a week ago.  Estimated calendar 1998
Canadian vehicle production now stands at 941,332 units, off 1.6 percent from
the 957,061 vehicles produced in like-1997.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the United
States, General Motors Corp. accounts for 35.5 percent; Ford Motor Co., 27.9
percent; Chrysler Corp., 15.2 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 5.1
percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.6 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 2.7
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, 2.3 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   116,409   120,240    129,782  1,930,752  2,118,885       -8.88
        Trucks 147,847   150,453    113,841  2,315,890  2,159,111        7.00
        TOTAL  264,256   270,693    243,623  4,246,642  4,277,996       -0.73
       Canada
        Cars    32,889    32,167     31,736    517,310    524,719       -1.41
        Trucks  27,797    26,418     24,340    424,022    432,342       -2.00
        TOTAL   60,686    58,585     56,076    941,332    957,061       -1.64
       Mexico
        Cars    16,301    17,644     16,490    271,748    273,336       -0.58
        Trucks   9,818     9,885      7,246    141,929    157,673      -10.00
        TOTAL   26,119    27,529     23,736    413,677    431,009       -4.02
       U.S.\Canada\Mexico
        Cars   165,599   170,051    178,008  2,719,810  2,916,940       -6.76
        Trucks 185,462   186,756    145,427  2,881,841  2,749,126        4.83
        GRAND  351,061   356,807    323,435  5,601,651  5,666,066       -1.14
        TOTAL

    Note: All figures include medium- and heavy-duty truck production.
    ON THE WEB: http://www.wardsauto.com
SOURCE  Ward's Automotive Reports