Continental Teves: Supplier Of Brake System for 2003 Ford Expedition

DETROIT, Jan. 8 -- Continental Teves, a unit of Continental AG, announced today it is the complete brake system integrator and supplier for the 2003 Ford Expedition sport utility vehicle.

Continental Teves will manage and deliver the complete brake system including calipers, rotors, booster, master cylinder, adjustable pedals, four- wheel anti-lock brakes (ABS), Brake Assist, Electronic Brake Force Distribution and optional Traction Control and AdvanceTrac(TM).

ABS improves driver control by keeping wheels from locking during hard braking or braking on slippery surfaces. Traction control improves driver control during acceleration by controlling wheel spin.

AdvanceTrac(TM) is a stability enhancement system for improved vehicle dynamics control and stability. It is on constant standby to assist drivers in maintaining control as critical situations arise in the twists and turns of driving. This active, computer controlled, safety system significantly improves vehicle stability in all three areas of vehicle performance: accelerating, cornering and braking. AdvanceTrac(TM), through electrical sensors strategically placed throughout the vehicle, analyzes steering wheel activity, wheel speeds, acceleration and the vehicle's rotation about its vertical axis and continually analyzes this data to determine whether the actual course of the vehicle corresponds to the desired direction. By braking individual wheels, AdvanceTrac(TM) corrects understeer and oversteer, and helps keep vehicles on the road.

Continental Teves' Brake Assist feature helps reduce stopping distance by as much as 20 percent by monitoring the speed and distance of brake pedal travel to determine if the driver intends to make a rapid stop even if the brake pedal isn't fully depressed. Studies have found that many drivers don't fully exploit their vehicle's braking capability because they don't apply the brakes firmly enough in the first moments of an emergency situation.

Continental Teves will supply the brake system from its award-winning North American plants in Morganton, Henderson and Asheville, NC, Culpeper, VA and Silao, Mexico.

Continental Teves' partnership with Ford Motor Company is evidence of the company's strategy of total chassis management. The company is striving to meet the demands of customers by providing integrated solutions that make individual mobility safer and more comfortable.

The Expedition also will feature Continental's latest design in sport utility tires, the ContiTrac SUV and TR tires supplied by Continental Tire N.A. The Ford Expedition is the first vehicle platform to have optimized brake and tire performance from Continental, benefiting from Continental's knowledge of brake and tire dynamics. The early collaboration of tire and brake engineers helped achieve the superior stopping distance of the Ford Expedition.

Continental Teves, headquartered in Frankfurt/Main Germany, is a unit of Continental AG, Hanover, Germany. With 2001 sales of approximately $9.9 billion (US), Continental is a world leader in the design, development and supply of critical brake and chassis systems that contribute to driving safety and comfort. Continental Teves' North American component is headquartered in Auburn Hills, Mich. For additional information visit these websites: www.conti-online.com and www.contitevesna.com .