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Ward's Reports Record North American Production in 1999

30 December 1999

Ward's Reports Record North American Production in 1999

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Dec. 29 -- Capped off by a record
December, North American production for 1999 will end at an all-time high of
17.62 million units (including medium- and heavy-duty trucks), 9.9% above
1998's 16,032,875, and well above the all-time high set in 1997 of 16,055,542.
All three North American countries -- the U.S., Canada and Mexico -- will post
individual records, with the U.S. topping 13 million and Canada surpassing 3
million, both for the first time, according to Ward's Automotive Reports.
    The record production reflects record demand for vehicles in 1999.
Including imports, total vehicle sales will top 19 million for the first time
ever in North America, finishing at an estimated 19.6 million units -- 17.5
million in the U.S. alone.  The previous North American high was 18.1 million
in 1986.
    Meantime, with the majority of assembly plants closed for the remainder of
the year, North American production in December will finish at an estimated
1,336,000 units, 3.2% above the previous record -- set last year -- of
1,294,193.
    By country in 1999, U.S. production will finish at an estimated 13,030,938
units, 8.6% above last year, and well above the previous high of 12,895,286
attained in 1978.  Canada 1999 output is pegged at 3,048,720, 18.6% above
1998, and well above the record output of 2,570,353 set in 1997.  In Mexico, a
new record will be set with 1,541,624 assemblies in 1999, 5.6% above last
year's 1,459,891, which also was the previous high.

                       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        0       87,286         0     5,645,335   5,554,373     1.6
    Trucks  1,971      121,872         0     7,385,603   6,448,290    14.5
    TOTAL   1,971      209,158         0    13,030,938  12,002,663     8.6
    Canada
    Cars        0       26,587         0     1,627,400   1,481,141     9.9
    Trucks    120       23,549         0     1,421,320   1,089,180    30.5
    TOTAL     120       50,136         0     3,048,720   2,570,321    18.6
    Mexico
    Cars        0       16,295         0     1,005,377     956,354     5.1
    Trucks    701        7,501         0       536,247     503,537     6.5
    TOTAL     701       23,796         0     1,541,624   1,459,891     5.6
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
    Cars        0      130,168         0     8,278,112   7,991,868     3.6
    Trucks  2,792      152,922         0     9,343,170   8,041,007    16.2
    GRAND   2,792      283,090         0    17,621,282  16,032,875     9.9
    TOTAL

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