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Ward's Reports Estimated Production

4 June 1999

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., June 4 -- Vehicle production this week in
the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 331,532 units,
down from the 349,665 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 7,878,939 vehicles, up 8.0 percent from like-1998's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 237,107 vehicles this
week, down 10.6 percent from the 265,221 cars and trucks built last week due
to the Memorial Day holiday.  To date, calendar 1999 U.S. vehicle output
totals an estimated 5,830,599, up 5.8 percent from the 5,513,548 vehicles
built in like-1998.
    This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 64,516, a 24.6
percent increase from the 51,793 units assembled last week.  Estimated
calendar-1999 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 1,374,156 units, up
13.9 percent from the 1,206,418 vehicles produced in like-1998.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S.,
General Motors Corp. accounted for 34.1 percent; Ford Motor Co., 28.7 percent;
Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 16.7 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 4.7
percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.5 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.1
percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 2.5 percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc.,
0.7 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 1.3 percent; Mitsubishi Motor
Mfg. of America Inc., 1.1 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     97,401     109,805    112,774  2,508,405  2,502,077    0.3
     Trucks  139,706     155,416    144,868  3,322,194  3,011,471   10.3
     TOTAL   237,107     265,221    257,642  5,830,599  5,513,548    5.8
    Canada
     Cars     34,687      28,164     31,088    736,636    667,613   10.3
     Trucks   29,829      23,629     22,256    637,520    538,805   18.3
     TOTAL    64,516      51,793     53,344  1,374,156  1,206,418   13.9
    Mexico
     Cars     19,471      21,174     20,672    458,721    383,676   19.6
     Trucks   10,438      11,477      9,908    215,463    193,359   11.4
     TOTAL    29,909      32,651     30,580    674,184    577,035   16.8
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
     Cars    151,559     159,143    164,534  3,703,762  3,553,366    4.2
     Trucks  179,973     190,522    177,032  4,175,177  3,743,635   11.5
     GRAND   331,532     349,665    341,566  7,878,939  7,297,001    8.0
     TOTAL

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