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Ward's Reports Estimated Production

21 August 1998

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Aug. 21 -- Vehicle production in the U.S.,
Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 326,223 units this week,
barely unchanged from the 326,406 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
9,793,160 vehicles.  That is down 3.9 percent from like-1997's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 256,214 vehicles this
week, up 0.7 percent from the 254,349 cars and trucks built last week. To
date, calendar 1998 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 7,376,029 units,
which is down 3.6 percent from the 7,649,920 vehicles built in like-1997.
   This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 47,364 a 9.8
percent increase from the 43,136 units assembled a week ago.  Estimated
calendar-1998 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 1,565,715 units, off
8.3 percent from the 1,706,874 vehicles produced in like-1997.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S.,
General Motors Corp. accounted for 40.5 percent; Ford Motor Co., 25.9 percent;
Chrysler Corp., 11.7 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 5.2 percent; Toyota
Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.9 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 2.8 percent; Nissan
Motor Mfg. Corp., 2.1 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 1.6 percent;
Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc., 1.8 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America
Inc., 1.5 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc., 0.6 percent; BMW of
North America Inc., 0.5 percent; and other manufacturers, 1.9 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    119,739    126,473    121,001    3,396,981    3,827,192  -11.2
      Trucks  136,475    127,876    119,545    3,979,048    3,822,728    4.1
      TOTAL   256,214    254,349    240,546    7,376,029    7,649,920   -3.6
     Canada
      Cars     31,937     29,564     23,790      882,595      922,616   -4.3
      Trucks   15,427     13,572     28,774      683,120      784,258  -12.9
      TOTAL    47,364     43,136     52,564    1,565,715    1,706,874   -8.3
     Mexico
      Cars     14,592     20,536     15,754      574,539      518,910   10.7
      Trucks    8,053      8,385      8,103      276,877      312,078  -11.3
      TOTAL    22,645     28,921     23,857      851,416      830,988    2.5
     U.S.\Canada\Mexico
      Cars    166,268    176,573    160,545    4,854,115    5,268,718   -7.9
      Trucks  159,955    149,833    156,422    4,939,045    4,919,064    0.4
      GRAND   326,223    326,406    316,967    9,793,160    10,187,782  -3.9
      TOTAL

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