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Ward's Reports Estimated Production

15 October 1999

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Oct. 15-- Vehicle production this week in
the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 362,534 units, up
from the 361,778 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 14,023,495 vehicles, up 11.6 percent from like-1998's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 279,084 vehicles this
week, up 1.1 percent from the 275,952 cars and trucks built last week.  To
date, calendar 1999 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 10,374,220 units,
up 9.2 percent from the 9,499,530 vehicles built in like-1998.
    This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 51,599, a 10.1
percent decrease from the 57,405 units assembled last week.  Estimated
calendar-1999 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 2,404,362 units, up
21.9 percent from the 1,972,174 vehicles produced in like-1998.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S.,
General Motors Corp. accounted for 34.9 percent; Ford Motor Co., 28.5 percent;
Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 14.7 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 4.9
percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 4.8 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 2.5
percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 2.6 percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc.,
1.8 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 1.2 percent; Mitsubishi Motor
Mfg. of America Inc., 1.3 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. of DaimlerChrysler, 0.2
percent; BMW of North America Inc., 0.3 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    123,609    120,742    124,686   4,487,677  4,402,835       1.9
    Trucks  155,475    155,210    149,181   5,886,543  5,096,695      15.5
    TOTAL   279,084    275,952    273,867  10,374,220  9,499,530       9.2
    Canada
    Cars     27,580     28,801     30,813   1,282,902  1,140,333      12.5
    Trucks   24,019     28,604     20,236   1,121,460    831,841      34.8
    TOTAL    51,599     57,405     51,049   2,404,362  1,972,174      21.9
    Mexico
    Cars     19,787     17,541     16,979     801,558    732,141       9.5
    Trucks   12,064     10,880      9,748     443,355    362,083      22.4
    TOTAL    31,851     28,421     26,727   1,244,913  1,094,224      13.8
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
    Cars    170,976    167,084    172,478   6,572,137  6,275,309       4.7
    Trucks  191,558    194,694    179,165   7,451,358  6,290,619      18.5
    GRAND   362,534    361,778    351,643  14,023,495 12,565,928      11.6
    TOTAL

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