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Ward's Reports Estimated Production

5 March 1998

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., March 5 -- Vehicle production in the U.S.,
Canada and Mexico is expected to hit 348,214 units this week, an increase of
2.6 percent from the 339,291 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
2,910,066 vehicles. That outturn lags 6.1 percent behind like-1997's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 263,704 vehicles this
week, up 2.4 percent from the 257,606 cars and trucks built last week. To
date, calendar 1998 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 2,215,597 units, a
drop of 5.0 percent from 2,333,212 vehicles built in like-1997.
    Canadian vehicle production should hit 59,043 vehicles this week, up 4.9
percent from the 56,294 units assembled a week ago. Estimated calendar 1998
Canadian vehicle production now stands at 488,360 units, 6.9 percent below the
524,744 vehicles produced in like-1997.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the United
States, General Motors Corp. accounts for 35.0 percent; Ford Motor Co., 24.9
percent; Chrysler Corp., 17.1 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 5.9
percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 4.2 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 3.2
percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 2.8 percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive
Inc., 1.8 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 1.3 percent;
AutoAlliance International Inc., 0.7 percent; BMW of North America Inc., 0.5
percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc., 0.5 percent; and other
manufacturers, 2.1 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   112,367   110,942    132,161   1,014,293   1,137,107   -10.80
      Trucks 151,337   146,664    139,892   1,201,304   1,196,105     0.00
      TOTAL  263,704   257,606    272,053   2,215,597   2,333,212    -5.04
    Canada
      Cars    33,330    30,862     33,166     269,850     286,697    -5.88
      Trucks  25,713    25,432     26,081     218,510     238,047    -8.00
      TOTAL   59,043    56,294     59,247     488,360     524,744    -6.93
    Mexico
      Cars    16,941    16,861     15,263     138,142     146,152    -5.48
      Trucks   8,526     8,530      9,839      67,967      93,563   -27.00
      TOTAL   25,467    25,391     25,102     206,109     239,715   -14.02
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
      Cars   162,638   158,665    180,590   1,422,285   1,569,956    -9.41
      Trucks 185,576   180,626    175,812   1,487,781   1,527,715    -2.61
      GRAND  348,214   339,291    356,402   2,910,066   3,097,671    -6.06
      TOTAL

    Note: All figures include medium- and heavy-duty truck production.
SOURCE  Ward's