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Ward's Reports Estimated Production

2 July 1999

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., July 2 -- Vehicle production this week in
the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 310,456 units,
down from the 359,647 cars and trucks built a week ago, according to Ward's
Automotive Reports, as some automakers suspend production for summer shutdowns
and holiday observances.
    Including this week's estimates, calendar year North American output now
totals 9,300,682 vehicles, up 13.3 percent from like-1998's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 225,849 vehicles this
week, down 13.6 percent from the 261,462 cars and trucks built last week.  To
date, calendar 1999 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 6,865,798, up
11.5 percent from the 6,158,678 vehicles built in like-1998.
    This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 52,770, a
21.4 percent decrease from the 67,151 units assembled last week.  Estimated
calendar-1999 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 1,629,760 units, up
19.1 percent from the 1,368,508 vehicles produced in like-1998.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S.,
General Motors Corp. accounted for 37.3 percent; Ford Motor Co., 35.2 percent;
Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 9.6 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc.,
0.0 percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 4.8 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc.,
3.3 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 3.2 percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive
Inc., 0.0 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 1.7 percent; Mitsubishi
Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 0.0 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. of
DaimlerChrysler, 0.8 percent; BMW of North America Inc., 0.5 percent; and
other manufacturers, 3.6 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      91,457    114,606     7,523   2,962,969   2,798,497      5.9
    Trucks   134,392    146,856    26,663   3,902,829   3,360,181     16.1
    TOTAL    225,849    261,462    34,186   6,865,798   6,158,678     11.5
    Canada
    Cars      28,653     34,790    12,763     868,079     745,262     16.5
    Trucks    24,117     32,361    15,579     761,681     623,246     22.2
    TOTAL     52,770     67,151    28,342   1,629,760   1,368,508     19.1
    Mexico
    Cars      20,250     19,726    13,375     539,825     456,326     18.3
    Trucks    11,587     11,308     6,530     265,299     227,316     16.7
    TOTAL     31,837     31,034    19,905     805,124     683,642     17.8
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
    Cars     140,360    169,122    33,661   4,370,873   4,000,085      9.3
    Trucks   170,096    190,525    48,772   4,929,809   4,210,743     17.1
    GRAND    310,456    359,647    82,433   9,300,682   8,210,828     13.3
   TOTAL

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