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Ward's Reports Estimated Production

22 January 1998

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Jan. 22 -- Vehicle production in the U.S.,
Canada and Mexico is expected to reach 274,239 units this week, down 7.5
percent from a week ago, according to Ward's Automotive Reports.  The slightly
lower output results from one less day of production in the U.S. due to
Monday's Martin Luther King holiday.
    With this week's estimates, calendar year North American output now totals
852,852 cars and trucks, down 16.9 percent from the 1,025,931 vehicles built
in like-1997.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 202,341 units this week,
down 11.7 percent from the 229,036 vehicles built last week.  To date,
calendar 1998 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 651,832 units, down 14.5
percent from like-1997's pace.
    Canadian vehicle production should hit 49,031 units this week, an increase
of 12.0 percent from the 43,791 built a week ago.  Estimated calendar 1998
Canadian vehicle production now stands at 133,921, 25.1 percent below the
178,881 vehicles built in like-1997.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the United
States, Ford Motor Co. accounts for 28.4 percent; General Motors Corp., 28.3
percent; Chrysler Corp., 17.6 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 7.0
percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 4.6 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 3.3
percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.2 percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive
Inc., 2.2 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 1.2 percent;
AutoAlliance International Inc., 0.9 percent; BMW of North America Inc., 0.5
percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc., 0.4 percent; and other
manufacturers, 2.4 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     95,448     109,036     104,171     309,371     365,605     -15.38
    Trucks  106,893     120,000     112,730     342,461     396,799     -14.00
    TOTAL   202,341     229,036     216,901     651,832     762,404     -14.50
    Canada
    Cars     22,882      22,573      29,621      67,137      97,574     -31.19
    Trucks   26,149      21,218      24,899      66,784      81,307     -18.00
    TOTAL    49,031      43,791      54,520     133,921     178,881     -25.13
    Mexico
    Cars     15,513      16,312      15,868      44,745      50,820     -11.95
    Trucks    7,354       7,294      10,067      22,354      33,826     -34.00
    TOTAL    22,867      23,606      25,935      67,099      84,646     -20.73
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
    Cars    133,843     147,921     149,660     421,253     513,999     -18.04
    Trucks  140,396     148,512     147,696     431,599     511,932     -15.69
    GRAND   274,239     296,433     297,356     852,852   1,025,931     -16.87
    TOTAL
    Note: All figures include medium- and heavy-duty truck production.

SOURCE  Ward's Automotive Reports