Valeo and Luc Alphand at Le Mans

LE MANS, France, May 24, 2006 --

- New Technologies for Enhanced Comfort, Safety and Performance

In October 2005, Valeo signed a partnership agreement with French rally racer Luc Alphand for the 2006-2008 seasons of the Cross-country Rally World Cup and the Le Mans Endurance Series.

After winning the 2006 Dakar rally in January, Luc Alphand will compete in the Le Mans 24 Hours race in the GT1 category driving a Corvette that Valeo has equipped with specially developed wiper, lighting, and air conditioning systems.

The Valeo Flat Blade wiper system, with optimal aerodynamics, provides even wiper pressure across the length of the windscreen, and fast and easy assembly and disassembly. It is 50% lighter and more compact than traditional wiper systems.

As part of the event will be taking place at night, the Corvette will be equipped with six Valeo Xenon headlamps, which increase the beam range by 150 meters.

As a world first, Valeo, the European air conditioning leader, is equipping the Corvette with an air-conditioning system specially designed to attenuate driver fatigue under racing conditions.

This lightweight system not only offers energy savings, but can also reduce the temperature of the cockpit from 65degrees to 32degrees in under two minutes.

These new systems will enhance driver comfort and increase safety. Luc Alphand's performance will benefit from this support, in the spirit of his partnership with Valeo. As Valeo's chairman and CEO, Thierry Morin, commented on the signing of the agreement, "innovation and excellence lie at the heart of the Group's strategy, and these values are perfectly represented by Luc Alphand."

Valeo is an independent industrial group fully focused on the design, production and sale of components, integrated systems and modules for cars and trucks. Valeo ranks among the world's top automotive suppliers. The Group has 134 production sites, 68 R&D centers, 9 distribution platforms, and employs 72,000 people in 27 countries worldwide.