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Ward's Reports Estimated Production

12 May 2000

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., May 12 Vehicle production this week in
the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 384,407 units,
down from the 390,948 cars and trucks built last week, according to Ward's
Automotive Reports.
    Including this week's estimates, calendar year North American output now
totals 7,067,732 vehicles, up 3.8 percent from like-1999's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 282,467 vehicles this
week, a decrease of 2.1 percent from the 288,451 cars and trucks built last
week.  To date, calendar 2000 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated
5,174,237 units, up 3.0 percent from the 5,025,271 vehicles built in
like-1999.
    This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 67,874, a
1.2 percent decrease from the 68,664 units assembled last week.  Estimated
calendar-2000 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 1,236,681 units, up
2.7 percent from the 1,204,507 vehicles produced in like-1999.
    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., 31.2 percent;
Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 13.4 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc.,
4.9 percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 4.5 percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc.,
2.0 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 2.8 percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive
Inc., 1.6 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., 0.5 percent; and
other manufacturers, 2.4 percent.

                       NORTH AMERICA FACTORY PRODUCTION

            This Week   Last Week  Same Week   To Date     To Date  Pct.Change
            Estimated    Revised   Last Year     2000        1999     2000 vs.
                                                                        1999
    U.S.
    Cars      122,835    123,737    116,770    2,219,197    2,174,781    2.0
    Trucks    159,632    164,714    162,074    2,955,040    2,850,490    3.7
    TOTAL     282,467    288,451    278,844    5,174,237    5,025,271    3.0
    Canada
    Cars       34,679     34,644     36,726      640,108      644,326   -0.7
    Trucks     33,195     34,020     32,621      596,573      560,181    6.5
    TOTAL      67,874     68,664     69,347    1,236,681    1,204,507    2.7
    Mexico
    Cars       22,355     21,177     17,221      410,464      395,931    3.7
    Trucks     11,711     12,656     10,328      246,350      182,029   35.3
    TOTAL      34,066     33,833     27,549      656,814      577,960   13.6
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
    Cars      179,869    179,558    170,717    3,269,769    3,215,038    1.7
    Trucks    204,538    211,390    205,023    3,797,963    3,592,700    5.7
    GRAND     384,407    390,948    375,740    7,067,732    6,807,738    3.8
    TOTAL

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