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Ward's Reports Estimated Production

5 February 1998

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Feb. 5 -- Vehicle production in the U.S.,
Canada and Mexico is expected to hit 338,922 units this week, up 1.5 percent
from a week ago, according to Ward's Automotive Reports.
    With this week's estimates, calendar year North American output now totals
1,559,442 cars and trucks, 8.2 percent off like-1997's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 259,998 vehicles this
week, up 1.4 percent from the 256,416 cars and trucks built last week.  To
date, calendar 1998 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 1,188,121 units,
down 6.6 percent from the 1,272,544 vehicles built in like-1997.
    Canadian vehicle production should hit 58,390 vehicles this week, an
increase of 1.5 percent from the 57,520 units assembled a week ago.  Estimated
calendar 1998 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 263,638, 9.1 percent
below the 290,058 vehicles produced in like-1997.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the United
States, General Motors Corp. accounts for 34.2 percent; Ford Motor Co., 26.8
percent; Chrysler Corp., 16.0 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 6.0
percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.6 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 3.4
percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 2.9 percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive
Inc., 1.8 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 1.4 percent;
AutoAlliance International Inc., 1.0 percent; BMW of North America Inc., 0.5
percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc., 0.4 percent; and other
manufacturers, 2.0 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     119,546   118,759   123,443     559,613    613,789    -8.83
      Trucks   140,452   137,657   131,008     628,508    658,755    -5.00
      TOTAL    259,998   256,416   254,451   1,188,121  1,272,544    -6.63
    Canada
      Cars      31,534    31,378    31,326     145,959    158,807    -8.09
      Trucks    26,856    26,142    24,730     117,679    131,251   -10.00
      TOTAL     58,390    57,520    56,056     263,638    290,058    -9.11
    Mexico
      Cars      13,574    13,053    15,171      71,411     82,009   -12.92
      Trucks     6,960     6,938     9,574      36,272     53,514   -32.00
      TOTAL     20,534    19,991    24,745     107,683    135,523   -20.54
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
      Cars     164,654   163,190   169,940     776,983    854,605    -9.08
      Trucks   174,268   170,737   165,312     782,459    843,520    -7.24
      GRAND    338,922   333,927   335,252   1,559,442  1,698,125    -8.17
     TOTAL

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

SOURCE  Ward's Communications