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Ward's Reports Estimated Production

15 March 1999

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., March 12 -- Vehicle production this week
in the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 381,265 units,
up from the 359,835 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 3,540,093 vehicles, up 8.9 percent from like-1998's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 287,179 vehicles this
week, up 6.6 percent from the 269,447 cars and trucks built last week.  To
date, calendar 1999 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 2,605,323 units,
up 5.7 percent from the 2,465,652 vehicles built in like-1998.
    This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 66,008, a 4.1
percent increase from the 63,395 units assembled last week.  Estimated
calendar-1999 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 637,487 units, up 16.7
percent from the 546,033 vehicles produced in like-1998.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S.,
General Motors Corp. accounted for 33.7 percent; Ford Motor Co., 29.0 percent;
Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 16.9 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 4.8
percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.4 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 2.6
percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 2.3 percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc.,
1.6 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 1.4 percent; Mitsubishi Motor
Mfg. of America Inc., 1.0 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. of DaimlerChrysler, 0.7
percent; BMW of North America Inc., 0.4 percent; and other manufacturers, 2.2
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     123,304     115,202    117,333  1,123,797 1,128,575     -0.4
    Trucks   163,875     154,245    138,297  1,481,526 1,337,077     10.8
    TOTAL    287,179     269,447    255,630  2,605,323 2,465,652      5.7
    Canada
    Cars      33,710      34,487     32,247    341,324   301,979       13
    Trucks    32,298      28,908     24,881    296,163   244,054     21.4
    TOTAL     66,008      63,395     57,128    637,487   546,033     16.7
    Mexico
    Cars      18,725      18,295     17,806    197,995   160,354     23.5
    Trucks     9,353       8,698      9,089     99,288    78,069     27.2
    TOTAL     28,078      26,993     26,895    297,283   238,423     24.7
    U.S.\
    Canada\
    Mexico
    Cars     175,739     167,984    167,386  1,663,116 1,590,908     4.5
    Trucks   205,526     191,851    172,267  1,876,977 1,659,200    13.1
    GRAND    381,265     359,835    339,653  3,540,093 3,250,108     8.9
    TOTAL

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