PRESS RELEASE

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Nov. 7 -- U.S. car and truck
manufacturers plan to build 224,654 vehicles this week, including
medium- and heavy-duty models, according to Ward's Automotive Reports.
    This week's scheduled output is up 1.94 percent from last week's
revised count of 220,384 cars and trucks.  With the end of contract
talks between General Motors Corp. and the United Auto Workers,
production volumes in the U.S. should stabilize.
    Estimated calendar year U.S. car and truck output through the end
of this week stands at 10,274,413, 2.0 percent fewer than the
10,484,626 vehicles produced in same-period 1995.
    In Canada, automakers will assemble 51,232 vehicles this week, an
increase of 17.86 percent from last week's actual count of
43,470. Much of the increase is caused by the full resumption of GM
Canada's car production after the CAW strike. Because of losses due to
the CAW strike, estimated calendar-1996 car and truck output in Canada
continues to lag behind same-period 1995, 2,090,218 vs. 2,134,394.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the
United States, Ford Motor Co. accounts for 32.5 percent; GM, 29.2
percent; Chrysler Corp., 12.8 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 6.9
percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 4.2 percent; New United Motor
Mfg. Inc., 3.6 percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. U.S.A. Inc., 3.5 percent;
Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc., 2.1 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of
America Inc., 1.6 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 1.1
percent; BMW of North America Inc., 0.6 percent; and other
manufacturers, 1.9 percent.

                       NORTH AMERICA FACTORY PRODUCTION
            This Week  Last Week  Same Week   To Date   To Date  Pct. Change
            Estimated   Revised   Last Year    1996      1995    1996 vs. 1995
    U.S.
    Cars    113,013     108,819     132,255   5,305,844  5,578,908   -4.89
    Trucks  111,641     111,565     114,838   4,968,569  4,905,718    1.28
    TOTAL   224,654     220,384     247,093  10,274,413 10,484,626   -2.00
    Canada
    Cars     25,588      16,570      23,407   1,098,593  1,185,038   -7.29
    Trucks   25,644      26,900      21,624     991,625    949,356    4.45
    TOTAL    51,232      43,470      45,031   2,090,218  2,134,394   -2.07
    U.S./Canada
    Cars    138,601     125,389     155,662   6,404,437  6,763,946   -5.32
    Trucks  137,285     138,465     136,462   5,960,194  5,855,074    1.80
    GRAND
    TOTAL   275,886     263,854     292,124  12,364,631  12,619,020  -2.02

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

CONTACT: Jeff Green of Ward's, 810-799-2636, or on the web:
www.wardsauto.com