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Ward's Reports Estimated Production

6 September 1999

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Sept. 3 -- Vehicle production this week in
the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 341,906 units,
down from the 380,634 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 11,867,557 vehicles, up 12.9 percent from like-1998's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 253,719 vehicles this
week, down 10.7 percent from the 284,268 cars and trucks built last week.  To
date, calendar 1999 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 8,755,633 units,
up 10.5 percent from the 7,922,655 vehicles built in like-1998.
    This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 55,172, a 16.4
percent decrease from the 65,972 units assembled last week.  Estimated
calendar-1999 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 2,048,149 units, up
23.6 percent from the 1,657,698 vehicles produced in like-1998.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S.,
General Motors Corp. accounted for 33.2 percent; Ford Motor Co., 27.5 percent;
Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 16.0 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 5.3
percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 4.3 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 2.8
percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 3.0 percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc.,
1.7 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 1.3 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, 2.5
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    108,212    118,236     127,043   3,777,688   3,653,658      3.4
    Trucks  145,507    166,032     132,027   4,977,945   4,268,997     16.6
    TOTAL   253,719    284,268     259,070   8,755,633   7,922,655     10.5
    Canada
    Cars     29,454     34,495      27,825   1,093,377     945,232     15.7
    Trucks   25,718     31,477      13,241     954,772     712,466     34.0
    TOTAL    55,172     65,972      41,066   2,048,149   1,657,698     23.6
    Mexico
    Cars     17,583     16,728      19,519     689,329     628,122      9.7
    Trucks   15,432     13,666       8,407     374,446     303,834     23.2
    TOTAL    33,015     30,394      27,926   1,063,775     931,956     14.1
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
    Cars    155,249    169,459     174,387   5,560,394   5,227,012      6.4
    Trucks  186,657    211,175     153,675   6,307,163   5,285,297     19.3
    GRAND   341,906    380,634     328,062  11,867,557  10,512,309     12.9
    TOTAL

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