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Ward's Reports Estimated Production

8 November 1999

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

     SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Nov. 5 -- Vehicle production this week in
the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 377,574 units, up
from the 371,691 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 15,158,432 vehicles, up 10.7 percent from like-1998's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 282,718 vehicles this
week, down 0.3 percent from the 283,500 cars and trucks built last week.  To
date, calendar 1999 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 11,232,012 units,
up 8.5 percent from the 10,350,827 vehicles built in like-1998.
    This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 63,176, an 8.7
percent increase from the 58,111 units assembled last week.  Estimated
calendar-1999 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 2,593,404 units, up
20.2 percent from the 2,158,222 vehicles produced in like-1998.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S.,
General Motors Corp. accounted for 33.6 percent; Ford Motor Co., 27.1 percent;
Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 16.8 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 5.0
percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 4.9 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 2.6
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    121,889    125,709    129,320    4,857,363    4,801,170     1.2
    Trucks  160,829    157,791    151,133    6,374,649    5,549,657    14.9
    TOTAL   282,718    283,500    280,453   11,232,012   10,350,827     8.5
    Canada
    Cars     33,424     27,685     37,397    1,380,715    1,248,921    10.6
    Trucks   29,752     30,426     27,152    1,212,689      909,301    33.4
    TOTAL    63,176     58,111     64,549    2,593,404    2,158,222    20.2
    Mexico
    Cars     19,355     18,778     17,960      856,351      787,824     8.7
    Trucks   12,325     11,302      8,714      476,665      392,199    21.5
    TOTAL    31,680     30,080     26,674    1,333,016    1,180,023    13.0
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
    Cars    174,668    172,172    184,677    7,094,429    6,837,915     3.8
    Trucks  202,906    199,519    186,999    8,064,003    6,851,157    17.7
    GRAND   377,574    371,691    371,676   15,158,432   13,689,072    10.7
    TOTAL

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