---

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

21 May 1999

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., May 21 -- Vehicle production this week in
the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 367,838 units,
down from the 375,652 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 7,188,259 vehicles, up 8.0 percent from like-1998's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 286,819 vehicles this
week, up 2.9 percent from the 278,804 cars and trucks built last week.  To
date, calendar 1999 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 5,322,374, up 5.5
percent from the 5,042,807 vehicles built in like-1998.
    This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 51,173, a 27.7
percent decrease from the 70,791 units assembled last week due to the
observance of Victoria Day for most Canadian manufacturers.  Estimated
calendar-1999 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 1,256,604 units, up
14.5 percent from the 1,097,740 vehicles produced in like-1998.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S.,
General Motors Corp. accounted for 35.2 percent; Ford Motor Co., 28.9 percent;
Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 14.9 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 4.9
percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 4.3 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 2.6
percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 2.4 percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc.,
0.7 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 1.3 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, 2.6
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   121,384   116,770    117,631   2,296,165   2,292,177     0.2
    Trucks 165,435   162,034    131,372   3,026,209   2,750,630    10.0
    TOTAL  286,819   278,804    249,003   5,322,374   5,042,807     5.5
    Canada
    Cars    27,851    36,756     26,075     672,237     603,312    11.4
    Trucks  23,322    34,035     19,167     584,367     494,428    18.2
    TOTAL   51,173    70,791     45,242   1,256,604   1,097,740    14.5
    Mexico
    Cars    19,471    16,452     19,355     416,251     343,114    21.3
    Trucks  10,375     9,605     10,033     193,030     173,138    11.5
    TOTAL   29,846    26,057     29,388     609,281     516,252    18.0
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
    Cars   168,706   169,978    163,061   3,384,653   3,238,603     4.5
    Trucks 199,132   205,674    160,572   3,803,606   3,418,196    11.3
    GRAND  367,838   375,652    323,633   7,188,259   6,656,799     8.0
    TOTAL

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