Dana Corporation to Supply Driveshafts, Rear Axles for Nissan Frontier and Xterra In Brazil

TOLEDO, Ohio, Oct. 8 Dana Corporation announced today that it has been selected to supply Nissan with main driveshafts and rear axles for the 2003 Frontier pickup truck and Xterra sport-utility vehicle to be built in Brazil and slated for sale throughout the Mercosur market.

Dana will supply driveshafts with maintenance-free universal joints on all 4x2 and 4x4 models for the life of the program. Volumes are projected at 12,000 driveshafts annually.

Demonstrating its flexibility to meet customer needs, Dana will receive Nissan-designed and manufactured center bearings, assemble them into driveshafts, and then balance the shafts to an extremely tight specification. Nissan's new center-bearing design allows for axial movement in the driveshaft without the need of a slip member. The tighter balance specifications result in a smoother running driveshaft, a direct consumer benefit.

The rear axles will feature Dana's Trac Lok(TM) differential. The axles will include improvements such as an enhanced sealing design to meet Nissan's rigorous warranty requirements; reinforced wheelend bearings to withstand severe road conditions; and industry-leading, three-axis, dry-cut hypoid ring and pinions for improved fuel efficiency and NVH characteristics.

Dana chairman and CEO Joe Magliochetti said, "This new business with Nissan is another example of Dana's ability to offer vehicle manufacturers more flexibility -- not just because of our extensive global presence, but also because of our advanced technologies that serve their unique needs."

Bill Carroll, president of Dana's Automotive Systems Group, added, "Whether its assembling a single component with non-proprietary sub-components in South America, or delivering a completely integrated structural system with a drivetrain in the Asia-Pacific, Dana has the ability and technology to deliver solutions for its customers worldwide."