Gentex Mirrors on Europe's Best-Selling Car

ZEELAND, Michigan, January 28 -- Gentex Corporation, the leading supplier of automatic-dimming mirrors to the worldwide automotive industry, has begun shipping interior and exterior automatic-dimming mirrors for Volkswagen's 2004 Golf, Europe's best-selling car. The car is currently available in Europe, and is expected to be available in North America in 2005. Gentex auto-dimming mirrors automatically darken to reduce glare from the headlamps of vehicles approaching from the rear. The brighter the glare, the darker the mirrors become, making nighttime driving safer.

For the German market, a base feature Gentex interior mirror will be standard on the Comfort Line and as part of a rain sensor and headlamp control package on the Sport Line and Trend Line. Driver- and passenger- side exterior auto-dimming mirrors will be a stand-alone option on all three lines. In other major European markets, the names of the trim lines are different but the mirror packaging is similar.

"This is a significant program for Gentex because the Golf is the leading vehicle in the European market, where over 60 percent of all Golf models are sold," stated Gentex Executive Vice President Garth Deur. "We expect Gentex interior mirrors to be on a high percentage of the Golf models sold worldwide."

Gentex Corporation is an international company that provides high-quality products to the worldwide automotive industry and North American fire protection market.

The Company develops, manufactures and markets interior and exterior automatic-dimming automotive rearview mirrors that utilize proprietary electrochromic technology to dim in proportion to the amount of headlight glare from trailing vehicle headlamps. More than 95 percent of the Company's revenue is derived from the sale of those products to the world automotive industry.

Gentex was the first company in the world to successfully develop and produce a commercial automatic-dimming rearview mirror. After more than 15 years of supplying these products in the highly competitive global automotive industry, the Company remains the leading supplier of these mirrors. Gentex OEM customers include Acura, Audi, Bentley, BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Fiat, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Isuzu, Kia Motors, Land Rover, Lexus, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Opel, Renault, Samsung, MG Rover, Rolls Royce, SsangYong Motors, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo Car Corporation.

Founded in 1974, Gentex has its manufacturing facilities in Zeeland, Michigan, and automotive sales and engineering offices in Detroit, Michigan ; Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, France and Korea. The Company is recognized for its quality products; for its proprietary manufacturing skills and equipment and application of world class manufacturing principles; for its commitment to developing and maintaining a highly skilled workforce, and for encouraging employee ownership of the Company's stock.