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Ward's Reports Estimated Production

25 September 1997

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Sept. 25 -- Vehicle production in the
U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit 341,081 units this week, including
172,898 cars and 168,183 trucks, according to Ward's Automotive Reports.
    With this week's production, estimated calendar year North American output
now totals 11,783,741 units. That's up 0.7 percent compared to the 11,698,568
vehicles built in like-1996.
    U.S. vehicle production is expected to total 264,485 units this week, an
increase of 3.7 percent from the 255,036 cars and trucks made last week.
Calendar 1997 U.S. vehicle production now stands at 8,844,248, down 0.3
percent from like-1996's pace.
    In Canada, automakers will manufacture 49,936 cars and trucks this week, a
decrease of 4.7 percent from last week's total of 52,389 units.  Estimated
calendar year Canadian vehicle production now stands at 1,948,328 units, an
increase of 5.8 percent from like-1996 levels.
    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., 30.1
percent; Chrysler Corp., 14.5 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 5.3
percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.1 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 2.9
percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 2.4 percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive
Inc., 1.6 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 1.4 percent;
AutoAlliance International Inc., 0.8 percent; BMW of North America Inc., 0.5
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      1997        1996  1997 vs. 1996

    U.S.
      Cars   129,028   123,282   130,177   4,401,958    4,617,572     -4.67
      Trucks 135,457   131,754   128,773   4,442,290    4,253,295      4.44
      TOTAL  264,485   255,036   258,950   8,844,248    8,870,867     -0.30
    Canada
      Cars    26,441   28,170     30,374   1,047,058     981,806       6.65
      Trucks  23,495   24,219     24,277     901,270     859,898       4.81
      TOTAL   49,936   52,389     54,651   1,948,328   1,841,704       5.79
    Mexico
      Cars    17,429   14,475     17,321     607,677     608,399      -0.12
      Trucks   9,231    7,219      8,640     383,488     377,598       1.56
      TOTAL   26,660   21,694     25,961     991,165     985,997       0.52
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
      Cars   172,898  165,927    177,872   6,056,693   6,207,777      -2.43
      Trucks 168,183  163,192    161,690   5,727,048   5,490,791       4.30
      GRAND  341,081  329,119    339,562  11,783,741  11,698,568       0.73
      TOTAL

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

SOURCE  Ward's Communications