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Ward's Reports Estimated Production

16 April 1999

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., April 16 -- Vehicle production this week
in the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 386,842 units,
up from the 322,873 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 5,311,369 vehicles, up 8.2 percent from like-1998's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 285,015 vehicles this
week, up 20.1 percent from the 237,259 cars and trucks built last week.  To
date, calendar 1999 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 3,905,895 units,
up 5.2 percent from the 3,711,326 vehicles built in like-1998.
    This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 64,965, an
18.4 percent increase from the 54,874 units assembled last week.  Estimated
calendar-1999 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 937,735 units, up
14.0 percent from the 822,881 vehicles produced in like-1998.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S.,
General Motors Corp. accounted for 35.4 percent; Ford Motor Co., 29.2 percent;
Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 14.4 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc.,
5.2 percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.9 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc.,
2.6 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 1.8 percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive
Inc., 1.4 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 1.4 percent; Mitsubishi
Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 1.2 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. of
DaimlerChrysler, 0.7 percent; BMW of North America Inc., 0.4 percent; and
other manufacturers, 2.4 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      125,707    104,608    105,753  1,695,876 1,694,091     0.1
    Trucks    159,308    132,651    120,627  2,210,019 2,017,235     9.6
    TOTAL     285,015    237,259    226,380  3,905,895 3,711,326     5.2
    Canada
    Cars       34,534     29,457     29,450    500,535   452,254    10.7
    Trucks     30,431     25,417     23,346    437,200   370,627    18.0
    TOTAL      64,965     54,874     52,796    937,735   822,881    14.0
    Mexico
    Cars       28,132     22,336     18,407    328,992   247,973    32.7
    Trucks      8,730      8,404      9,944    138,747   125,200    10.8
    TOTAL      36,862     30,740     28,351    467,739   373,173    25.3
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
    Cars      188,373     156,401   153,610  2,525,403 2,394,318     5.5
    Trucks    198,469     166,472   153,917  2,785,966 2,513,062    10.9
    GRAND     386,842     322,873   307,527  5,311,369 4,907,380     8.2
    TOTAL

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