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Ward's Reports Estimated Production

31 August 1998

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Aug. 28 -- Vehicle production in the U.S.,
Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an 335,575 estimated units this week,
barely unchanged from the 319,654 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
10,138,155 vehicles.  That is down 3.4 percent from like-1997's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 264,935 vehicles this
week, up 6.9 percent from the 247,758 cars and trucks built last week.  To
date, calendar 1998 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 7,645,296 units,
which is down 3.1 percent from the 7,887,384 vehicles built in like-1997.
   This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 47,995 a 10.9
percent increase from the 43,261 units assembled a week ago.  Estimated
calendar-1998 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 1,612,808 units, off
7.7 percent from the 1,746,767 vehicles produced in like-1997.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S.,
General Motors Corp. accounted for 39.5 percent; Ford Motor Co., 27.5 percent;
Chrysler Corp., 11.6 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 5.0 percent; Toyota
Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.7 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 2.7 percent; Nissan
Motor Mfg. Corp., 2.1 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 1.5 percent;
Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc., 1.8 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America
Inc., 1.4 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc., 0.6 percent; BMW of
North America Inc., 0.5 percent; and other manufacturers, 2.1 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     126,544    119,127    112,155  3,522,913  3,939,347     -10.6
    Trucks   138,391    128,631    122,051  4,122,383  3,948,037       4.4
    TOTAL    264,935    247,758    234,206  7,645,296  7,887,384      -3.1
    Canada
    Cars      32,929     31,174     21,464    914,761    944,080      -3.1
    Trucks    15,066     12,087     21,749    698,047    802,687     -13.0
    TOTAL     47,995     43,261     43,213  1,612,808  1,746,767      -7.7
    Mexico
    Cars      14,592     20,602     15,760    595,141    534,670      11.3
    Trucks     8,053      8,033     10,386    284,910    322,464     -11.6
    TOTAL     22,645     28,635     26,146    880,051    857,134       2.7
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
    Cars     174,065    170,903    149,379  5,032,815  5,418,097      -7.1
    Trucks   161,510    148,751    154,186  5,105,340  5,073,188       0.6
    GRAND    335,575    319,654    303,565 10,138,155 10,491,285      -3.4
    TOTAL

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