---

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

1 November 1999

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Oct. 29 -- Vehicle production this week in
the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 371,570 units,
down from the 381,585 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 14,780,401 vehicles, up 11.0 percent from like-1998's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 274,996 vehicles this
week, down 4.5 percent from the 288,035 cars and trucks built last week.  To
date, calendar 1999 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 10,940,454 units,
up 8.6 percent from the 10,070,374 vehicles built in like-1998.
    This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 64,734, a
0.9 percent increase from the 64,139 units assembled last week.  Estimated
calendar-1999 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 2,536,851 units, up
21.2 percent from the 2,093,673 vehicles produced in like-1998.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S.,
General Motors Corp. accounted for 33.3 percent; Ford Motor Co., 29.4 percent;
Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 15.3 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc.,
5.0 percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 4.3 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc.,
2.7 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 2.7 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, 2.5 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   121,016     127,020   132,386   4,730,781 4,671,850    1.3
    Trucks 153,980     161,015   149,711   6,209,673 5,398,524   15.0
    TOTAL  274,996     288,035   282,097  10,940,454 10,070,374   8.6
    Canada
    Cars    34,942      35,187    36,394   1,354,548  1,211,524  11.8
    Trucks  29,792      28,952    26,008   1,182,303    882,149  34.0
    TOTAL   64,734      64,139    62,402   2,536,851  2,093,673  21.2
    Mexico
    Cars    19,787      18,488    19,052     838,005    769,864   8.9
    Trucks  12,053      10,923    10,943     465,091    383,485  21.3
    TOTAL   31,840      29,411    29,995   1,303,096  1,153,349  13.0
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
    Cars   175,745     180,695   187,832   6,923,334  6,653,238   4.1
    Trucks 195,825     200,890   186,662   7,857,067  6,664,158  17.9
    GRAND  371,570     381,585   374,494  14,780,401 13,317,396  11.0
    TOTAL

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