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Ward's Reports Estimated Production

19 March 1999

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., March 19 -- Vehicle production this week
in the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 378,480 units,
up from the 371,643 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 3,913,706 vehicles, up 8.6 percent from like-1998's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 282,582 vehicles this
week, up 1.9 percent from the 277,209 cars and trucks built last week.  To
date, calendar 1999 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 2,877,935 units,
up 5.3 percent from the 2,732,347 vehicles built in like-1998.
    This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 65,917, a 0.4
percent decrease from the 66,153 units assembled last week.  Estimated
calendar-1999 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 703,549 units, up 16.2
percent from the 605,306 vehicles produced in like-1998.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S.,
General Motors Corp. accounted for 32.1 percent; Ford Motor Co., 30.8 percent;
Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 15.9 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 4.9
percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 4.0 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 2.7
percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 2.4 percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc.,
1.4 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, 2.3
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      126,953   118,314  120,579    1,245,760   1,249,154     -0.3
    Trucks    155,629   158,895  146,116    1,632,175   1,483,193       10
     TOTAL    282,582   277,209  266,695    2,877,935   2,732,347      5.3
    Canada
    Cars       35,562    34,037   32,686      377,213     334,665     12.7
    Trucks     30,355    32,116   26,587      326,336     270,641     20.6
     TOTAL     65,917    66,153   59,273      703,549     605,306     16.2
    Mexico
    Cars       19,655    19,339   18,292      219,399     178,646     22.8
    Trucks     10,326     8,942    9,026      112,823      87,095     29.5
     TOTAL     29,981    28,281   27,318      332,222     265,741       25
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
    Cars      182,170   171,690  171,557    1,842,372   1,762,465      4.5
    Trucks    196,310   199,953  181,729    2,071,334   1,840,929     12.5
     GRAND    378,480   371,643  353,286    3,913,706   3,603,394      8.6
      TOTAL

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