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Ward's Reports Estimated Production

31 July 1998

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., July 31 -- Vehicle production in the U.S.,
Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 231,330 units this week, an
increase of 17.7 percent from the 196,560 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
8,858,010 vehicles.  That is down 4.4 percent from like-1997's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 170,791 vehicles this
week, up 16.4 percent from the 146,753 cars and trucks built last week.  To
date, calendar 1998 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 6,645,070 units,
which is down 4.33 percent from the 6,945,857 vehicles built in like-1997.
    This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 29,571, a 15.8
percent increase from the 25,540 units assembled a week ago.  Estimated
calendar-1998 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 1,438,864 units, off
7.74 percent from the 1,559,555 vehicles produced in like-1997.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S.,
General Motors Corp. accounted for 5.6 percent; Ford Motor Co., 45.8 percent;
Chrysler Corp., 16.4 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 7.5 percent; Toyota
Motor Mfg. Inc., 5.7 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 4.2 percent; Nissan
Motor Mfg. Corp., 3.1 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 2.5 percent;
Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc., 2.6 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America
Inc., 1.7 percent;  Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc., 0.9 percent; BMW of
North America Inc., 0.7 percent; and other manufacturers, 3.3 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     80,643     71,744     115,451  3,041,570  3,469,940   -12.35
     Trucks   90,148     75,009     109,216  3,603,500  3,475,917     4.00
     TOTAL   170,791    146,753     224,667  6,645,070  6,945,857    -4.33
    Canada
     Cars     19,049     18,062      20,980    797,091    854,912    -6.76
     Trucks   10,522      7,478      18,952    641,773    704,643    -9.00
     TOTAL    29,571     25,540      39,932  1,438,864  1,559,555    -7.74
    Mexico
     Cars     20,527     17,424      15,320    518,890    472,738     9.76
     Trucks   10,441      6,843       9,738    255,186    285,877   -11.00
     TOTAL    30,968     24,267      25,058    774,076    758,615     2.04

    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
     Cars    120,219    107,230     151,751  4,357,551  4,797,590    -9.17
     Trucks  111,111     89,330     137,906  4,500,459  4,466,437     0.76
     GRAND   231,330    196,560     289,657  8,858,010  9,264,027    -4.38
     TOTAL

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