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Ward's Reports Estimated Production

23 December 1999

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Dec. 22 -- Vehicle production this week in
the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 283,090 units,
down from the 383,160 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 17,618,490 vehicles, up 10.3 percent from like-1998's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 209,158 vehicles during
this shortened holiday week, down 26.4 percent from the 284,292 cars and
trucks built last week.  To date, calendar 1999 U.S. vehicle output totals an
estimated 13,028,967 units, up 8.3 percent from the 12,032,926 vehicles built
in like-1998.
    This holiday week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 50,136, a
27.3 percent decrease from the 68,981 units assembled last week.  Estimated
calendar-1999 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 3,048,600 units, up
18.9 percent from the 2,564,311 vehicles produced in like-1998.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S.,
General Motors Corp. accounted for 31.4 percent; Ford Motor Co., 32.2 percent;
Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 13.8 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 5.3
percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 4.6 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 2.8
percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 2.8 percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive Inc.,
1.7 percent; AutoAlliance International Inc., 0.0 percent; Mitsubishi Motor
Mfg. of America Inc., 1.2 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. of DaimlerChrysler, 0.6
percent; BMW of North America Inc., 0.5 percent; and other manufacturers, 3.1
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       87,286    122,079    70,046  5,645,335   5,554,618       1.6
    Trucks    121,872    162,213    84,451  7,383,632   6,478,308      14.0
    TOTAL     209,158    284,292   154,497 13,028,967  12,032,926       8.3
    Canada
    Cars       26,587     36,067    19,980  1,627,400   1,482,480       9.8
    Trucks     23,549     32,914    14,696  1,421,200   1,081,831      31.4
    TOTAL      50,136     68,981    34,676  3,048,600   2,564,311      18.9
    Mexico
    Cars       16,295     20,306    10,757  1,005,377     914,795       9.9
    Trucks      7,501      9,581     7,002    535,546     464,311      15.3
    TOTAL      23,796     29,887    17,759  1,540,923   1,379,106      11.7
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
    Cars      130,168    178,452   100,783  8,278,112   7,951,893       4.1
    Trucks    152,922    204,708   106,149  9,340,378   8,024,450      16.4
    GRAND     283,090    383,160   206,932 17,618,490  15,976,343      10.3
    TOTAL

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