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Ward's Reports Estimated Production

16 August 1999

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Aug. 13 -- Vehicle production this week in
the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 336,964 units,
down from the 339,408 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 10,771,319 vehicles, up 13.2 percent from like-1998's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 251,571 vehicles this
week, down 1.0 percent from the 254,176 cars and trucks built last week.  To
date, calendar 1999 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 7,936,436 units,
up 11.0 percent from the 7,146,896 vehicles built in like-1998.
    This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 55,814, a 0.8
percent increase from the 55,394 units assembled last week.  Estimated
calendar-1999 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 1,860,517 units, up
22.4 percent from the 1,520,331 vehicles produced in like-1998.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S.,
General Motors Corp. accounted for 33.6 percent; Ford Motor Co., 28.4 percent;
Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 14.5 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 5.3
percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 4.4 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 2.9
percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 2.9 percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc.,
1.8 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 0.9 percent; Mitsubishi Motor
Mfg. of America Inc., 1.4 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. of DaimlerChrysler, 0.6
percent; BMW of North America Inc., 0.4 percent; and other manufacturers, 2.9
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       108,515   104,283    26,473  3,426,735  3,277,230       4.6
    Trucks     143,056   149,893   129,311  4,509,701  3,869,666      16.5
    TOTAL      251,571   254,176   255,784  7,936,436  7,146,896      11.0
    Canada
    Cars        29,370    30,002    29,384    997,149    850,334      17.3
    Trucks      26,444    25,392    13,709    863,368    669,997      28.9
    TOTAL       55,814    55,394    43,093  1,860,517  1,520,331      22.4
    Mexico
    Cars        19,132    17,600    20,436    646,629    570,046      13.4
    Trucks      10,447    12,238     8,488    327,737    278,313      17.8
    TOTAL       29,579    29,838    28,924    974,366    848,359      14.9
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
    Cars       157,017   151,885   176,293  5,070,513  4,697,610       7.9
    Trucks     179,947   187,523   151,508  5,700,806  4,817,976      18.3
    GRAND
    TOTAL      336,964   339,408   327,801 10,771,319  9,515,586      13.2

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