---

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

19 February 1999

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Feb. 19 -- Vehicle production this week in
the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 356,317 units,
down from the 358,835 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 2,402,566 vehicles, up 7.9 percent from like-1998's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 264,534 vehicles this
week, almost equal to the 264,497 cars and trucks built last week.  To date,
calendar 1999 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 1,753,513 units, up
3.6 percent from the 1,692,248 vehicles built in like-1998.
    This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 62,661, a
2.0 percent decrease from the 63,954 units assembled last week.  Estimated
calendar-1999 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 436,054 units, up
16.6 percent from the 373,866 vehicles produced in like-1998.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S.,
General Motors Corp. accounted for 34.4 percent; Ford Motor Co., 29.0 percent;
Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 14.9 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc.,
5.3 percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 4.3 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc.,
2.3 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 2.3 percent; AutoAlliance International
Inc., 1.5 percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc., 1.5 percent; Mitsubishi Motor
Mfg. of America Inc., 1.0 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. of DaimlerChrysler,
0.6 percent; BMW of North America Inc., 0.4 percent; and other manufacturers,
2.5 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     116,642     107,512     121,685     755,187     790,972   -4.5
    Trucks   147,892     156,985     140,673     998,326     901,276   10.8
    TOTAL    264,534     264,497     262,358   1,753,513   1,692,248    3.6
    Canada
    Cars      34,265      33,364      32,797     237,877     205,658   15.7
    Trucks    28,396      30,590      26,095     198,177     168,208   17.8
    TOTAL     62,661      63,954      58,892     436,054     373,866   16.6
    Mexico
    Cars      19,381      20,438      16,355     141,775     109,225   29.8
    Trucks     9,741       9,946       7,541      71,224      51,456   38.4
    TOTAL     29,122      30,384      23,896     212,999     160,681   32.6
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
    Cars     170,288     161,314     170,837   1,134,839   1,105,855    2.6
    Trucks   186,029     197,521     174,309   1,267,727   1,120,940   13.1
    GRAND    356,317     358,835     345,146   2,402,566   2,226,795    7.9
     TOTAL

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