Ward's Reports Estimated Production

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Aug. 17 Vehicle production this week in
the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 325,115 units, up
from the 307,942 cars and trucks built last week, according to Ward's
Automotive Reports.

    Including this week's estimates, calendar year North American output now
totals 10,034,805 vehicles, down 13.0 percent from like-2000's pace.

    In the U.S., automakers are expected to produce 234,817 vehicles this
week, up 0.9 percent from the 232,691 cars and trucks built last week.  To
date, calendar 2001 U.S. vehicle output totals an estimated 7,211,379 units,
down 14.0 percent from the 8,388,036 vehicles built in like-2000.

    This week's Canadian vehicle production is estimated at 51,579, a 25.6
percent increase from the 41,066 units assembled last week.  Estimated
calendar-2001 Canadian vehicle production now stands at 1,637,196 units, down
15.7 percent compared to the 1,941,968 vehicles produced in like-2000.

    Of the cars and trucks slated for production this week in the U.S.,
General Motors Corp. accounted for 32.3 percent; Ford Motor Co., 27.4 percent;
Chrysler of DaimlerChrysler, 16.5 percent; Honda of America Mfg. Inc., 5.8
percent; Toyota Motor Mfg. Inc., 5.0 percent; Nissan Motor Mfg. Corp., 2.4
percent; New United Motor Mfg. Inc., 3.2 percent; Subaru-Isuzu Automotive
Inc., 1.6 percent; Mitsubishi Motor Mfg. of America Inc., 1.7 percent;
AutoAlliance International Inc., 0.8 percent; Mercedes-Benz U.S. of
DaimlerChrysler, 0.5 percent; BMW of North America Inc., 1.3 percent; and
other manufacturers, 1.5 percent.

                       NORTH AMERICA FACTORY PRODUCTION
            This Week  Last Week  Same Week  To Date    To Date   Pct. Change
            Estimated  Revised    Last Year    2001       2000   2001 vs. 2000
    U.S.
    Cars     95,146     94,530    110,510   3,146,430   3,610,735    -12.9
    Trucks  139,671    138,161    142,737   4,064,949   4,777,301    -14.9
    TOTAL   234,817    232,691    253,247   7,211,379   8,388,036    -14.0
    Canada
    Cars     27,599     23,325     32,309     832,754   1,015,716    -18.0
    Trucks   23,980     17,741     28,241     804,442     926,252    -13.2
    TOTAL    51,579     41,066     60,550   1,637,196   1,941,968    -15.7
    Mexico
    Cars     22,024     21,072     20,405     658,218     727,054    -9.5
    Trucks   16,695     13,113     17,665     528,012     473,643    11.5
    TOTAL    38,719     34,185     38,070   1,186,230   1,200,697    -1.2
    U.S.\Canada\Mexico
    Cars    144,769    138,927    163,224   4,637,402   5,353,505    -13.4
    Trucks  180,346    169,015    188,643   5,397,403   6,177,196    -12.6
    GRAND   325,115    307,942    351,867  10,034,805  11,530,701    -13.0
    TOTAL

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