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Ward's Reports Estimated Production

25 September 1998

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Sept. 25 -- Vehicle production in the
U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 330,132 units this
week, down from the 338,521 cars and trucks built a week ago, according to
Ward's Automotive Reports.
    Including this week's estimates, calendar year North American output now
totals 11,434,165 vehicles, down 2.6 percent from like-1997's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 256,071 vehicles this
week, down 4.8 percent from the 268,989 cars and trucks built last week.  To
date, calendar 1998 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 8,648,109 units,
down 2.3 percent from the 8,848,990 vehicles built in like-1997.
    This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 50,700 a 0.3
percent increase from the 50,566 units assembled a week ago.  Estimated
calendar-1998 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 1,803,293 units,
off 7.1 percent from the 1,941,939 vehicles produced in like-1997.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S.,
General Motors Corp. accounted for 34.3 percent; Ford Motor Co., 28.5 percent;
Chrysler Corp., 14.5 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 5.1 percent; Toyota
Motor Mfg. Inc., 4.5 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 2.9 percent; Nissan
Motor Mfg. Corp., 2.1 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 1.6 percent;
Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc., 1.9 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America
Inc., 1.4 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc., 0.5 percent;
BMW of North America Inc., 0.3 percent; and other manufacturers, 2.4 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    125,235   126,306     125,803  4,011,179  4,392,826     -8.7
     Trucks  130,836   142,683     144,687  4,636,930  4,456,164      4.1
     TOTAL   256,071   268,989     270,490  8,648,109  8,848,990     -2.3
    Canada
     Cars     33,809    34,183      24,893  1,042,145  1,045,610     -0.3
     Trucks   16,891    16,383      25,194    761,148    896,329    -15.1
     TOTAL    50,700    50,566      50,087  1,803,293  1,941,939     -7.1
    Mexico
     Cars     14,569    12,519      15,452    662,925    593,678     11.7
     Trucks    8,792     6,447       7,733    319,838    358,675    -10.8
     TOTAL    23,361    18,966      23,185    982,763    952,353      3.2
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
     Cars    173,613   173,008     166,148  5,716,249  6,032,114     -5.2
     Trucks  156,519   165,513     177,614  5,717,916  5,711,168      0.1
     GRAND   330,132   338,521     343,762 11,434,165 11,743,282     -2.6
     TOTAL

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