---

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

5 February 1999

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Feb. 5 -- Vehicle production this week in
the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 346,936 units,
down from the 370,382 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 1,678,827 vehicles, up 8.8 percent from like-1998's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 249,133 vehicles this
week, down 8.9 percent from the 273,433 cars and trucks built last week.  To
date, calendar 1999 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 1,209,128 units,
up 3.1 percent from the 1,173,114 vehicles built in like-1998.
    This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 62,476, a 1.2
percent decrease from the 63,230 units assembled last week.  Estimated
calendar-1999 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 307,011 units, up 18.9
percent from the 258,137 vehicles produced in like-1998.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S.,
General Motors Corp. accounted for 37.6 percent; Ford Motor Co., 24.8 percent;
Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 14.6 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 5.7
percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.8 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.0
percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 2.5 percent; AutoAlliance International
Inc., 1.6; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc., 1.6 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of
America Inc., 1.1 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. of DaimlerChrysler, 0.6 percent;
BMW of North America Inc., 0.4 percent; and other manufacturers, 2.7 percent.

                       NORTH AMERICA FACTORY PRODUCTION

           This Week   Last Week   Same Week   To Date   To Date  Pct. Change
           Estimated    Revised    Last Year    1999      1998   1999 vs. 1998
    U.S.
     Cars   102,484     121,749     112,288    527,788    552,343    -4.4
     Trucks 146,649     151,684     135,483    681,340    620,771     9.8
     TOTAL  249,133     273,433     247,771  1,209,128  1,173,114     3.1
    Canada
     Cars    34,817      33,732      30,556    169,277    142,281      19
     Trucks  27,659      29,498      26,299    137,734    115,856    18.9
     TOTAL   62,476      63,230      56,855    307,011    258,137    18.9
    Mexico
     Cars    22,484      22,196      13,958    105,981     75,507    40.4
     Trucks  12,843      11,523       6,979     56,707     36,398    55.8
     TOTAL   35,327      33,719      20,937    162,688    111,905    45.4
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
     Cars   159,785     177,677     156,802    803,046    770,131     4.3
     Trucks 187,151     192,705     168,761    875,781    773,025    13.3
     GRAND  346,936     370,382     325,563  1,678,827  1,543,156     8.8
     TOTAL

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