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Ward's Reports Estimated Production

13 December 1999

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Dec. 10  -- Vehicle production this week in
the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 383,842 units,
down from the 400,070 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 16,940,617 vehicles, up 10.1 percent from like-1998's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 291,731 vehicles during
this week, down 2.4 percent from the 298,986 cars and trucks built last week.
To date, calendar 1999 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 12,530,598
units, up 8.1 percent from the 11,591,538 vehicles built in like-1998.
    This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 61,886, a 6.9
percent decrease from the 66,506 units assembled last week.  Estimated
calendar-1999 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 2,923,083 units, up
18.4 percent from the 2,469,389 vehicles produced in like-1998.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S.,
General Motors Corp. accounted for 34.3 percent; Ford Motor Co., 29.6 percent;
Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 14.4 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 4.9
percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 4.1 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 2.5
percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 2.6 percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc.,
1.9 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 1.1 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, 2.2
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    129,208    133,443    133,479    5,434,052   5,354,987      1.5
    Trucks  162,523    165,543    161,200    7,096,546   6,236,551     13.8
    TOTAL   291,731    298,986    294,679   12,530,598  11,591,538      8.1
    Canada
    Cars     33,670     36,669     36,791    1,561,057   1,428,527      9.3
    Trucks   28,216     29,837     26,294    1,362,026   1,040,862     30.9
    TOTAL    61,886     66,506     63,085    2,923,083   2,469,389     18.4
    Mexico
    Cars     21,179     25,241     19,052      972,119     884,444      9.9
    Trucks    9,046      9,337     11,181      514,817     446,091     15.4
    TOTAL    30,225     34,578     30,233    1,486,936   1,330,535     11.8
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
    Cars    184,057    195,353    189,322    7,967,228   7,667,958      3.9
    Trucks  199,785    204,717    198,675    8,973,389   7,723,504     16.2
    GRAND   383,842    400,070    387,997   16,940,617  15,391,462     10.1
    TOTAL

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