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Ward's Reports Estimated Production

9 April 1998

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., April 9 -- Vehicle production in the U.S.,
Canada and Mexico is expected to hit 288,245 units during this holiday-
shortened week, a decrease of 19.3 percent from the 357,184 cars and trucks
built a week ago, according to Ward's Automotive Reports. Most North American
industry plants are closed Friday, April 10.
    With this week's estimates, calendar year North American output now totals
4,599,773 vehicles. That lags 2.0 percent behind like-1997's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 217,035 vehicles this
week, down 19.9% from the 270,897 cars and trucks built last week.  To date,
calendar 1998 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 3,495,806 units, a drop
of 1.3 percent from the 3,541,442 vehicles built in like-1997.
    Canadian vehicle production should hit 47,772 this week, a 19.7% decrease
from the 59,505 units assembled a week ago.  Estimated calendar 1998 Canadian
vehicle production now stands at 772,085 units, off 2.5 percent from the
791,526 vehicles produced in like-1997.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the United
States, General Motors Corp. accounts for 34.1 percent; Ford Motor Co., 28.8
percent; Chrysler Corp., 14.6 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 4.9
percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 4.3 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 2.8
percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 2.6 percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc.,
1.8 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 1.3 percent; Mitsubishi Motor
Mfg. of America Inc., 1.2 percent; BMW of North America Inc., 0.5 percent;
Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc., 0.5 percent; and other manufacturers,
2.6 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     99,605  118,525   114,645  1,594,481  1,724,561   -7.54
     Trucks  117,430  152,372   134,750  1,901,325  1,816,881    5.00
     TOTAL   217,035  270,897   249,395  3,495,806  3,541,442   -1.29
    Canada
     Cars     25,132   31,662    30,726    424,151    432,176   -1.86
     Trucks   22,640   27,843    25,350    347,934    359,350   -3.00
     TOTAL    47,772   59,505    56,076    772,085    791,526   -2.46
    Mexico
     Cars     14,693   17,724    16,042    220,119    222,164   -0.92
     Trucks    8,745    9,058     9,918    111,763    139,566  -20.00
     TOTAL    23,438   26,782    25,960    331,882    361,730   -8.25
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
     Cars    139,430  167,911   161,413  2,238,751  2,378,901   -5.89
     Trucks  148,815  189,273   170,018  2,361,022  2,315,797    1.95
     GRAND   288,245  357,184   331,431  4,599,773  4,694,698   -2.02
     TOTAL
    Note: All figures include medium- and heavy-duty truck production.

SOURCE  Ward's Communications