Ressler to Retire as Ford Motor Company's Chief Technical Officer and Head of Racing

    DEARBORN, Mich., Feb. 6 Neil W. Ressler, Ford Motor
Company vice president and chief technical officer, Research and
Vehicle Technology, has announced his retirement after 34 years with the auto
company, Ford announced today.
    "Neil Ressler's skill, leadership and dedication brought Ford Motor
Company's technical expertise to a new level," said Ford President and CEO
Jacques Nasser.  "We will miss Neil, his racing spirit and his commitment to
make Ford technology serve our diverse brands and customers."
    Ressler, 61, also is retiring from his post as chairman of Jaguar Racing
and Cosworth Racing.  Ford announced today that former Formula One driver Niki
Lauda has been appointed chief executive officer of a new entity, Premier
Performance Division, which will oversee Jaguar Racing, Cosworth Racing and
the Pi electronics group.
    Ressler was born June 1, 1939, in Columbus, Ohio.  He earned a bachelor of
science degree in mechanical engineering from General Motors Institute; a
master's degree and a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Michigan; and an
MBA from Michigan State University.
    He joined Ford in 1967 as a senior research scientist, became principal
design engineer for suspension and steering in 1971 and chief components
engineer for the Climate Control Division in 1981.  Two years later, Ressler
was named chief engineer of Small Car Design and Development, became chief
engineer of Chassis and Electrical Engineering in 1985 and was named executive
director of Vehicle Engineering, Car Product Development, in 1990.
    Ressler was elected a Ford vice president in 1994 as head of Core Product
Development, Ford Automotive Operations, and became head of Advanced Vehicle
Technology later that year.  In 1998 he added the chairmanship of Jaguar
Racing and Cosworth Racing to his duties and became a board member of Stewart
Grand Prix.  He assumed his current post in 1999.