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Ward's Reports Estimated Production

25 September 1999

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich. -- Vehicle production this week in the U.S., Canada and 
Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 349,668 units, down from the 370,946 
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 12,924,824 vehicles, up 12.3 percent from like-1998's pace.

    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 261,132 vehicles this
week, down 6.2 percent from the 278,383 cars and trucks built last week.  To
date, calendar 1999 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 9,542,985 units,
up 9.9 percent from the 8,683,758 vehicles built in like-1998.

    This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 57,621, a 13.7
percent decrease from the 66,790 units assembled last week.  Estimated
calendar-1999 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 2,228,561 units, up
23.0 percent from the 1,811,207 vehicles produced in like-1998.

    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S.,
General Motors Corp. accounted for 37.2 percent; Ford Motor Co., 26.4 percent;
Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 13.4 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 5.3
percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 4.4 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 2.7
percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 2.9 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, 2.3
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      111,733   122,987   136,806   4,120,231   4,024,958    2.4
     Trucks    149,399   155,396   139,554   5,422,754   4,658,800   16.4
     TOTAL     261,132   278,383   276,360   9,542,985   8,683,758    9.9
    Canada
     Cars       29,437    36,388    36,279   1,190,209   1,045,241   13.9
     Trucks     28,184    30,402    22,794   1,038,352     765,966   35.6
     TOTAL      57,621    66,790    59,073   2,228,561   1,811,207   23.0
    Mexico
     Cars       18,535    15,998    18,848     745,626     678,611    9.9
     Trucks     12,380     9,775    10,758     407,652     332,090   22.8
     TOTAL      30,915    25,773    29,606   1,153,278   1,010,701   14.1
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
     Cars      159,705   175,373   191,933   6,056,066   5,748,810    5.3
     Trucks    189,963   195,573   173,106   6,868,758   5,756,856   19.3
     GRAND     349,668   370,946   365,039  12,924,824  11,505,666   12.3
     TOTAL

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