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Ward's Reports Estimated Production

10 July 1998

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., July 10 -- Vehicle production in the U.S.,
Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 98,112 units this week, an
increase of 17.2 percent from the 83,712 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
8,294,560 vehicles.  That is down 1.9 percent from like-1997's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 62,915 vehicles this week,
up 74.4 percent from the 36,082 cars and trucks built last week.  To date,
calendar 1998 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 6,223,703 units, which
is down 1.5 percent from the 6,318,721 vehicles built in like-1997.
    This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 12,016, a
56.4 percent decrease from the 27,585 units assembled a week ago.  Estimated
calendar-1998 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 1,376,151 units, off
5.0 percent from the 1,447,970 vehicles produced in like-1997.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S.,
General Motors Corp. accounted for 0.0 percent; Ford Motor Co., 0.0 percent;
Chrysler Corp., 26.0 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 20.3 percent; Toyota
Motor Mfg. Inc., 15.1 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 11.2 percent;
Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc., 0.0 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc.,
0.0 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 9.3 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of
America Inc., 3.6 percent;  Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc., 2.3
percent; BMW of North America Inc., 2.0 percent; and other manufacturers,
10.2 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    36,929    10,653     34,982   2,838,507  3,142,468    -9.67
    Trucks  25,986    25,429     13,887   3,385,196  3,176,253     7.00
    TOTAL   62,915    36,082     48,869   6,223,703  6,318,721    -1.50
    Canada
    Cars    11,116    12,423     12,233     754,678    788,289    -4.26
    Trucks     900    15,162      3,413     621,473    659,681    -6.00
    TOTAL   12,016    27,585     15,646   1,376,151  1,447,970    -4.96
    Mexico
    Cars    16,729    13,553     12,561     464,412    430,560     7.86
    Trucks   6,452     6,492     10,099     230,294    256,108   -10.00
    TOTAL   23,181    20,045     22,660     694,706    686,668     1.17

    U.S.\
    Canada\
    Mexico
    Cars    64,774    36,629     59,776    4,057,597  4,361,317   -6.96
    Trucks  33,338    47,083     27,399    4,236,963  4,092,042    3.54
    GRAND   98,112    83,712     87,175    8,294,560  8,453,359   -1.88
    TOTAL

    Note: All figures include medium- and heavy-duty truck production.