The auto maker built 208,000 mini-vans during the current model year in St. Louis.

The auto maker is building only 2,000 Rivieras for 1999, and it's trying to make the last 200 especially collectible.

People snapped them up, and the auto makers built even more.

Among Japanese auto makers building vehicles in this country, the Honda Motor Company reported that domestic car sales were 8,956, down 25.4 percent.

In addition, many other auto makers with headquarters in foreign countries are building huge numbers of cars and trucks in the United States.

Almost all Japanese auto makers already build cars or light trucks at one or more plants in North America.

Moreover, Japanese auto makers are building more vehicles in Europe and are growing stronger by the month.

Japanese auto makers are also charging ahead and have built plants in several Asian countries.

The union understands that the auto maker can't build cars for which there are no customers.

But Mr. Losh said that the auto makers could not build enough trucks to keep up with demand.