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Ward's Reports Estimated Production

21 August 1999

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Aug. 20 -- Vehicle production this week in
the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 340,543 units,
down from the 317,322 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 11,080,408 vehicles, up 12.5 percent from like-1998's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 252,743 vehicles this
week, up 5.2 percent from the 240,346 cars and trucks built last week.  To
date, calendar 1999 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 8,168,010 units,
up 10.4 percent from the 7,400,163 vehicles built in like-1998.
    This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 55,809, a
4.5 percent increase from the 53,390 units assembled last week.  Estimated
calendar-1999 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 1,913,902 units, up
22.0 percent from the 1,568,142 vehicles produced in like-1998.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S.,
General Motors Corp. accounted for 34.0 percent; Ford Motor Co., 27.9 percent;
Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 14.9 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc.,
5.3 percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 4.0 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc.,
2.8 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 3.0 percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive
Inc., 1.8 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 1.3 percent; Mitsubishi
Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 1.3 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. of
DaimlerChrysler, 0.6 percent; BMW of North America Inc., 0.4 percent; and
other manufacturers, 2.7 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   105,557     108,975     120,008   3,532,752  3,397,238   4.0
    Trucks 147,186     131,371     133,259   4,635,258  4,002,925  15.8
    TOTAL  252,743     240,346     253,267   8,168,010  7,400,163  10.4
    Canada
    Cars    29,873      28,825     33,447    1,026,477    883,781  16.1
    Trucks  25,936      24,565     14,364      887,425    684,361  29.7
    TOTAL   55,809      53,390     47,811    1,913,902  1,568,142  22.0
    Mexico
    Cars    17,583      13,027     20,614      655,173    590,660  10.9
    Trucks  14,408      10,559      8,507      343,323    286,820  19.7
    TOTAL   31,991      23,586     29,121      998,496    877,480  13.8
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
    Cars   153,013     150,827    174,069    5,214,402  4,871,679   7.0
    Trucks 187,530     166,495    156,130    5,866,006  4,974,106  17.9
    GRAND  340,543     317,322    330,199    11,080,408  9,845,785  12.5
    TOTAL

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