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Ward's Reports Estimated Production

20 March 1998

Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., March 19 -- Vehicle production in the
U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit 346,785 units this week, an
increase of 2.0 percent from the 339,901 cars and trucks built a week ago,
according to Ward's Automotive Reports.
    With this week's estimates, calendar year North American output now totals
3,591,603 vehicles. That lags 5.3 percent behind like-1997's pace.
    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 263,381 vehicles this
week, up 2.2 percent from the 257,660 cars and trucks built last week. To
date, calendar 1998 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 2,732,241 units, a
drop of 4.4 percent from the 2,857,241 vehicles built in like-1997.
    Canadian vehicle production should hit 57,021 this week, about even with
the 56,947 units assembled a week ago. Estimated calendar 1998 Canadian
vehicle production now stands at 601,891 units, off 6.3 percent from the
642,435 vehicles produced in like-1997.
    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the United
States, General Motors Corp. accounts for 35.2 percent; Ford Motor Co., 26.3
percent; Chrysler Corp., 16.6 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 5.5
percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.7 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 3.2
percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 2.9 percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive
Inc., 1.4 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 1.1 percent;
AutoAlliance International Inc., 1.1 percent; BMW of North America Inc., 0.5
percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc., 0.5 percent; and other
manufacturers, 2.0 percent.


                        NORTH AMERICA FACTORY PRODUCTION

            This Week  Last Week Same Week  To Date    To Date    Pct. Change
            Estimated  Revised   Last Year   1998       1997    1998 vs. 1997

    U.S.
      Cars    119,562   119,342   126,655   1,250,158   1,390,464   -10.09
      Trucks  143,819   138,318   131,242   1,482,083   1,466,777     1.00
      TOTAL   263,381   257,660   257,897   2,732,241   2,857,241    -4.37
    Canada
      Cars     30,681    32,238    32,441     332,651     349,517    -4.83
      Trucks   26,340    24,709    28,004     269,240     292,918    -8.00
      TOTAL    57,021    56,947    60,445     601,891     642,435    -6.31
    Mexico
      Cars     17,697    16,620    15,747     172,118     177,648    -3.11
      Trucks    8,686     8,674     9,584      85,353     113,196   -25.00
      TOTAL    26,383    25,294    25,331     257,471     290,844   -11.47
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
      Cars    167,940   168,200   174,843   1,754,927   1,917,629    -8.48
      Trucks  178,845   171,701   168,830   1,836,676   1,872,891    -1.93
      GRAND   346,785   339,901   343,673   3,591,603   3,790,520    -5.25
      TOTAL
    Note: All figures include medium- and heavy-duty truck production.

SOURCE  Ward's Communication