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Ward's Reports Estimated Production

24 July 1998

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., July 24 -- Vehicle production in the U.S.,
Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 205,241 units this week, an
increase of 37.2 percent from the 149,590 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
8,635,361 vehicles.  That is down 3.8 percent from like-1997's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 147,982 vehicles this
week, up 26.2 percent from the 117,292 cars and trucks built last week.  To
date, calendar 1998 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 6,475,508 units,
which is down 3.7 percent from the 6,721,190 vehicles built in like-1997.
   This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 29,387, a 253.6
percent increase from the 8,310 units assembled a week ago.  Estimated
calendar-1998 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 1,413,140 units, off
7.0 percent from the 1,519,623 vehicles produced in like-1997.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S.,
General Motors Corp. accounted for 4.3 percent; Ford Motor Co., 50.1 percent;
Chrysler Corp., 8.6 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 8.6 percent; Toyota
Motor Mfg. Inc., 6.6 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 4.9 percent; Nissan
Motor Mfg. Corp., 3.5 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 2.6 percent;
Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc., 3.0 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America
Inc., 1.9 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc., 1.0 percent; BMW of
North America Inc., 0.8 percent; and other manufacturers, 4.1 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   73,527     57,601     108,312   2,962,710   3,354,489    -11.68
     Trucks 74,455     59,691     107,672   3,512,798   3,366,701      4.00
     TOTAL 147,982    117,292     215,984   6,475,508   6,721,190     -3.66
    Canada
     Cars   19,049      6,810      23,576     779,029     833,932     -6.58
     Trucks 10,338      1,500      16,591     634,111     685,691     -8.00
     TOTAL  29,387      8,310      40,167   1,413,140   1,519,623     -7.01
    Mexico
     Cars   20,527     16,821      13,365     501,466     457,418      9.63
     Trucks  7,345      7,167       9,953     245,247     276,139    -11.00
     TOTAL  27,872     23,988      23,318     746,713     733,557      1.79
    U.S.\
    Canada\
    Mexico
    Cars   113,103     81,232     145,253   4,243,205   4,645,839     -8.67
    Trucks  92,138     68,358     134,216   4,392,156   4,328,531      1.47
    GRAND  205,241    149,590     279,469   8,635,361   8,974,370     -3.78
    TOTAL

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