Dana Corporation provides unique suspension systems for Ford Territory in Australia

Frankfurt, Germany, September 10 -- Dana Corporation announced today that its Australian subsidiary has begun providing the front suspension system, independent rear suspension module, and the front and rear driveshafts for Ford Australia's new Territory crossover vehicle.

"The Dana-engineered and -manufactured products on the Territory provide it with car-like ride and handling previously considered unattainable on an all-wheel-drive vehicle," said Dana Chairman and CEO Joe Magliochetti. "Dana's sophisticated front and rear suspension modules provide excellent handling, superior stability, and high levels of driver control typically seen on imported vehicles costing significantly more than the Territory."

The front suspension module designed by Dana is an integral part of Ford's Virtual Pivot Control Link front suspension, which delivers agility, stability, precision, and comfort, and it ensures car-like driving dynamics.

The rear suspension module on the Territory is a specially tailored version of the independent rear suspension that debuted on the Ford Falcon in 2002. It provides high levels of ride comfort, isolates harshness, and ensures a high level of driver control -- especially during braking.

In addition to the completely assembled suspension modules and driveshafts, Dana is also responsible for a variety of logistics, including sub-supplier selection and validation; purchasing; supplier quality; process creation; systems, service, and manufacturing engineering; research and development; testing and validation; and process control.

By passing these responsibilities on to Dana, the customer is able to better manage its supply base while reducing its engineering and purchasing costs.

Dana's robust, just-in-time delivery system provides entire, pre-assembled front and rear suspension modules delivered directly to the Ford assembly facility from Dana's Campbellfield, Australia, plant. This system eases assembly, reduces inventory costs, and improves speed to market for the customer.

In addition to the module assembly operations at Campbellfield, several other Dana facilities manufacture components for the Territory. Specifically:

     -- Front and rear structural subframes are manufactured by Dana's  
        Cheltenham and Clayton, Australia, facilities. The Cheltenham facility  
        is 10,400 square meters and employs 250.  The Clayton facility is  
        8,200 square meters and employs 110 people.  
     -- The front axle and IRS differential are manufactured by Dana's  
        facility in Fairfield, Australia.  This nearly 22,000-square-meter  
        facility employs 505 people. 
     -- Front and rear driveshafts are manufactured by the Dana facility in  
        Hallam, Australia.  The facility employs 68 people in a 7,500 square  
        meter factory. 
     -- Control arms, drop links, and ball joints are manufactured at Dana's  
        Nakata operation in Diadema, Brazil.

"Automotive manufacturers in Australia increasingly look to their suppliers to provide entire, integrated systems solutions. This partnership with Ford Australia truly showcases Dana's systems capabilities, as well as our responsiveness to the customer's needs and wants," said Bill Carroll, president of Dana's Automotive Systems Group. "Just as the products we developed for the Territory have redefined the perception of an all-wheel- drive system, the overall design and manufacturing solution we're providing has redefined the OE-supplier relationship."