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Ward's Reports Estimated Production

9 August 1999

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Aug. 6 -- Vehicle production this week in
the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 329,130 units,
down from the 338,819 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 10,424,527 vehicles, up 13.5 percent from like-1998's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 245,089 vehicles this
week, down 1.3 percent from the 248,227 cars and trucks built last week.  To
date, calendar 1999 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 7,675,778, up 11.4
percent from the 6,891,112 vehicles built in like-1998.
    This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 53,342, an 11.2
percent decrease from the 60,073 units assembled last week.  Estimated
calendar-1999 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 1,803,101 units, up
22.1 percent from the 1,477,238 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., 26.0 percent;
Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 14.6 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 5.6
percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 4.4 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.0
percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 2.9 percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc.,
1.6 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 1.5 percent; Mitsubishi Motor
Mfg. of America Inc., 1.4 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. of DaimlerChrysler, 0.6
percent; BMW of North America Inc., 0.0 percent; and other manufacturers, 3.0
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     104,926   107,892      110,176   3,318,863  3,150,757     5.3
    Trucks   140,163   140,335      119,610   4,356,915  3,740,355    16.5
    TOTAL    245,089   248,227      229,786   7,675,778  6,891,112    11.4
    Canada
    Cars      28,779    31,938       24,361     966,556    820,950    17.7
    Trucks    24,563    28,135       13,026     836,545    656,288    27.5
    TOTAL     53,342    60,073       37,387   1,803,101  1,477,238    22.1
    Mexico
    Cars      19,132    21,898       20,071     629,029    549,610    14.5
    Trucks    11,567     8,621        6,884     316,619    269,825    17.3
    TOTAL     30,699    30,519       26,955     945,648    819,435    15.4
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
    Cars     152,837   161,728      154,608   4,914,448  4,521,317     8.7
    Trucks   176,293   177,091      139,520   5,510,079  4,666,468    18.1
    GRAND    329,130   338,819      294,128  10,424,527  9,187,785    13.5
     TOTAL

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