Lear Highlights Investments in Europe to Serve Overseas Customer Base

    FRANKFURT, Germany, Sept. 12 Re-emphasizing its commitment
to the European automotive market, Lear Corporation today
highlighted significant investment and business developments in the region.

    Lear's strategic focus to enhance its strong relationships with customers
is the driving force behind the creation of three new, advanced technology
centers located in Allershausen and Kronach, Germany, and Valls, Spain as well
as new production facilities in five European countries and one site in the
United Kingdom.

    Dedicated to serve the European region as announced last September, these
new locations represent an investment exceeding $100 million, and advance
Lear's production and engineering capabilities in the areas of seating and
interiors, electronics and electrical systems.

    "Lear is well positioned to serve European auto makers with
fully-integrated interior solutions that meet the specific needs of the
world's second-largest automotive market," said Lear President and Chief
Executive Officer, Bob Rossiter.

    "Our presence in the region is strong and growing and we are involved in
many of the high-volume vehicle platforms in Europe," Rossiter continued.
"New business wins in Europe account for more than half of Lear's business
backlog of $3.5 billion, and our overseas sales are expected to triple during
the next five years as a result of inroads with valued customers."

    As the largest producer of seat systems in the world and one of the top
three suppliers of automotive headliners and electronic/electrical
distribution systems in Europe, Lear's content per vehicle in Western Europe
has risen steadily.  The value of Lear products across the European
new-vehicle market in 2000 averaged $237 per vehicle, an increase of nearly
120 percent since the company became publicly held in 1996.

    In 2000, Lear reported European sales of $4.1 billion, up from
$572.5 million in 1994 and $3.8 billion in 1999.  European sales, as a
percentage of Lear's total global sales, have nearly doubled in the past
five years and now account for 30 percent of the company's total revenue.  For
the first half of 2001, Lear's European sales totaled $2.2 billion,
essentially flat year-over-year due to the weaker Euro.

    Recent developments include production facilities located in Belgium,
France, Germany, Slovakia, Spain and the United Kingdom.  These locations will
support production for Lear in Europe that includes involvement in important
programs such as the Chrysler PT Cruiser, Ford Mondeo, Volvo S80 and the
Jaguar X400.

    In addition to Lear's latest announcement of plans to establish a new
engineering and technology center in Allershausen, Lear has also expanded its
operations in Germany to include a just-in-time/sequencing facility and
technology center in Kronach and an assembly plant in Zwiesel.

    In July, Lear disclosed plans to begin production of complete door modules
at a 12,000-square-meter facility in Offranville, France.  Door panels are
also set for production at Lear's facility in Bratislava, Slovakia.

    A new plant in Cergy-Pontoise, France, currently dedicated to just-in-time
seat system production for two current PSA Peugeot Citroen models and other
vehicles, will be supported by the addition of a facility in Madrid, Spain, in
2002.  Also in France, Lear produces seat systems at its recently acquired
Lagny le Sec site, and operates a technical support and administrative
facility in Garches.

    Lear Europe Snapshot:

    Facilities:  80
    Countries:   14
    Employees:   36,000
    2000 Sales:  $4.1 billion