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Ward's Reports Estimated Production

19 February 1998

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Feb. 19 -- Vehicle production in the U.S.,
Canada and Mexico is expected to hit 341,967 units this week, up 1.3 percent
from the 337,680 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
2,220,319 vehicles.  That's 6.9 percent behind like-1997's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 260,160 vehicles this
week, up 1.2 percent from the 257,047 cars and trucks built last week.  To
date, calendar 1998 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 1,692,854 units, a
decline of 5.4 percent from 1,789,360 vehicles built in like-1997.
   Canadian vehicle production should hit 57,690 vehicles this week, 2.5
percent ahead of the 56,290 units assembled a week ago.  Estimated calendar
1998 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 371,340 units, 8.7 percent
below the 406,812 vehicles produced in like-1997.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the United
States, General Motors Corp. accounts for 31.9 percent; Ford Motor Co., 27.8
percent; Chrysler Corp., 17.0 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 6.0
percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 4.7 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 3.2
percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 2.3 percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive
Inc., 2.0 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 1.3 percent;
AutoAlliance International Inc., 0.6 percent; BMW of North America Inc., 0.5
percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc., 0.5 percent; and other
manufacturers, 2.2 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    120,225    116,689     132,680    789,269    871,932     -9.48
        Trucks  139,935    140,358     132,182    903,585    917,428     -2.00
        TOTAL   260,160    257,047     264,862  1,692,854  1,789,360     -5.39
    Canada
        Cars     31,915     30,525      32,132    204,721    222,071     -7.81
        Trucks   25,775     25,765      26,331    166,619    184,741    -10.00
        TOTAL    57,690     56,290      58,463    371,340    406,812     -8.72
    Mexico
        Cars     16,811     17,039      16,139    105,242    114,323     -7.94
        Trucks    7,306      7,304      10,039     50,883     73,830    -31.00
        TOTAL    24,117     24,343      26,178    156,125    188,153    -17.02
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
        Cars    168,951    164,253     180,951  1,099,232  1,208,326     -9.03
        Trucks  173,016    173,427     168,552  1,121,087  1,175,999     -4.67
        GRAND   341,967    337,680     349,503  2,220,319  2,384,325     -6.88
         TOTAL

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

SOURCE  Ward's Communications