---

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

17 April 1998

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., April 16 -- Vehicle production in the
U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit 300,732 units this week, an
increase of 5.4 percent from the 285,453 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
4,895,616 vehicles.  That lags 2.6 percent behind like-1997's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 225,456 vehicles this
week, up 5.1 percent from the 214,517 cars and trucks built last week.  To
date, calendar 1998 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 3,716,965 units, a
drop of 2.1 percent from the 3,794,803 vehicles built in like-1997.
   Canadian vehicle production should hit 50,860 this week, a 7.1 percent
increase from the 47,498 units assembled a week ago.  Estimated calendar 1998
Canadian vehicle production now stands at 822,353 units, off 3.0 percent from
the 847,624 vehicles produced in like-1997.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the United
States, General Motors Corp.  accounts for 33.4 percent; Ford Motor Co., 28.6
percent; Chrysler Corp., 14.0 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 6.9
percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 4.3 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.3
percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc., 2.0 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp.,
1.3 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 1.3 percent; AutoAlliance
International Inc., 1.2 percent; BMW of North America Inc., 0.6 percent;
Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc., 0.6 percent; and other manufacturers,
2.5 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     104,966    98,473   132,541   1,697,791   1,857,102   -8.58
       Trucks   120,490   116,044   120,820   2,019,174   1,937,701    4.00
       TOTAL    225,456   214,517   253,361   3,716,965   3,794,803   -2.05
      Canada
       Cars      27,690    25,058    31,441     451,640     463,617   -2.58
       Trucks    23,170    22,440    24,657     370,713     384,007   -3.00
       TOTAL     50,860    47,498    56,098     822,353     847,624   -2.98
      Mexico
       Cars      15,399    14,693    16,733     235,518     238,897   -1.41
       Trucks     9,017     8,745     5,936     120,780     145,502  -17.00
       TOTAL     24,416    23,438    22,669     356,298     384,399   -7.31
      U.S.\Canada\Mexico
        Cars    148,055   138,224   180,715   2,384,949   2,559,616   -6.82
        Trucks  152,677   147,229   151,413   2,510,667   2,467,210   1.76
        GRAND   300,732   285,453   332,128   4,895,616   5,026,826   -2.61
        TOTAL
    Note: All figures include medium- and heavy-duty truck production.

SOURCE  Ward's Communications