---

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

26 March 1999

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., March 26 -- Vehicle production this week
in the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 383,938 units,
up from the 374,396 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 4,293,276 vehicles, up 8.2 percent from like-1998's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 288,779 vehicles this
week, up 3.1 percent from the 280,151 cars and trucks built last week.  To
date, calendar 1999 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 3,164,284 units,
up 5.2 percent from the 3,008,838 vehicles built in like-1998.
    This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 65,115, a 0.4
percent decrease from the 65,407 units assembled last week.  Estimated
calendar-1999 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 767,806 units, up 15.3
percent from the 666,108 vehicles produced in like-1998.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S.,
General Motors Corp. accounted for 32.8 percent; Ford Motor Co., 31.0 percent;
Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 16.7 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 4.8
percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.3 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 2.7
percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 1.9 percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc.,
1.3 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 1.3 percent; Mitsubishi Motor
Mfg. of America Inc., 1.0 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. of DaimlerChrysler, 0.7
percent; BMW of North America Inc., 0.3 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       125,158   125,562   127,185   1,369,528   1,376,339     -0.5
    Trucks     163,621   154,589   149,306   1,794,756   1,632,499      9.9
    TOTAL      288,779   280,151   276,491   3,164,284   3,008,838      5.2
    Canada
    Cars        33,710    34,306    32,692     409,171     367,357     11.4
    Trucks      31,405    31,101    28,110     358,635     298,751       20
    TOTAL       65,115    65,407    60,802     767,806     666,108     15.3
    Mexico
    Cars        19,655    19,527    17,361     238,926     196,007     21.9
    Trucks      10,389     9,311     9,097     122,260      96,192     27.1
    TOTAL       30,044    28,838    26,458     361,186     292,199     23.6
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
    Cars       178,523   179,395   177,238   2,017,625   1,939,703        4
    Trucks     205,415   195,001   186,513   2,275,651   2,027,442     12.2
    GRAND      383,938   374,396   363,751   4,293,276   3,967,145      8.2
    TOTAL

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