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Ward's Reports Estimated Production

17 May 1999

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., May 14 -- Vehicle production this week in
the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 379,615 units,
down slightly from the 379,875 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 6,824,040 vehicles, up 7.8 percent from like-1998's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 282,302 vehicles this
week, down 0.7 percent from the 284,243 cars and trucks built last week.  To
date, calendar 1999 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 5,038,749, up 5.1
percent from the 4,793,804 vehicles built in like-1998.
    This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 67,467, a 2.1
percent increase from the 66,089 units assembled last week.  Estimated
calendar-1999 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 1,202,067
units, up 14.2 percent from the 1,052,498 vehicles produced in like-1998.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S.,
General Motors Corp. accounted for 34.5 percent; Ford Motor Co., 29.2 percent;
Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 15.7 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 5.0
percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.8 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 2.7
percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 2.3 percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc.,
0.8 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 1.4 percent; Mitsubishi Motor
Mfg. of America Inc., 1.2 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. of DaimlerChrysler, 0.6
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     121,408    120,487    121,868   2,179,419  2,174,546     0.2
    Trucks   160,894    163,756    153,449   2,859,330  2,619,258     9.2
    TOTAL    282,302    284,243    275,317   5,038,749  4,793,804     5.1
    Canada
    Cars      36,756     35,318     28,163     644,386    577,237    11.6
    Trucks    30,711     30,771     22,253     557,681    475,261    17.3
    TOTAL     67,467     66,089     50,416   1,202,067  1,052,498    14.2
    Mexico
    Cars      19,471     19,002     19,851     399,799    323,759    23.5
    Trucks    10,375     10,541     10,152     183,425    163,105    12.5
    TOTAL     29,846     29,543     30,003     583,224    486,864    19.8
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
    Cars     177,635    174,807    169,882   3,223,604  3,075,542     4.8
    Trucks   201,980    205,068    185,854   3,600,436  3,257,624    10.5
    GRAND    379,615    379,875    355,736   6,824,040  6,333,166     7.8
    TOTAL

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