Continental Teves to Supply Brake Systems for Lincoln's New Aviator SUV

DETROIT, March 28 -- Continental Teves, a unit of Continental AG, announced today it will supply electronic brake systems for the new Lincoln Aviator. The Aviator is a mid-size luxury SUV that is built on the same platform as the Ford Explorer and the Mercury Mountaineer. It is scheduled for a 2003 model year production launch.

Continental Teves will supply its Electronic Stability Program (ESP) with four-wheel anti-lock brake systems (ABS), Traction Control Systems (TCS), and Brake Assist.

Electronic Stability Program (ESP), which Ford calls 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. This active, computer controlled, safety system significantly improves vehicle stability in all three primary 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 and reducing engine torque, AdvanceTrac(TM) corrects understeer and oversteer, and helps keep vehicles on the road.

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.

Continental Teves' Brake Assist feature helps reduce stopping distance in a panic brake situation 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 is not fully depressed. Studies have found that many drivers do not fully exploit their vehicle's braking capability because they do not 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 and Asheville, NC, Culpeper, VA and Silao, Mexico.

Continental Teves, headquartered in Frankfurt/Main Germany, is a unit of Continental AG, Hanover, Germany. With 2001 sales of approximately $10 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 .