BP-Ford Takes Second Successive WRC Manufacturers' Title With Ricardo Transmission

VAN BUREN TWP., Mich., Nov. 20, 2007 -- Ricardo congratulates the BP-Ford team on securing a back-to-back world rally championship (WRC) manufacturers' title victory with one event still to run in the 2007 season. The Focus RS world rally cars of the BP-Ford team are equipped with an advanced performance transmission and driveline system -- the result of a highly successful collaboration between Ford, M Sport and Ricardo.

Fourth place for Mikko Hirvonen at last weekend's Rally Ireland was sufficient to claim the manufacturers' title for the BP-Ford team, with just the Wales Rally GB (November 30 to December 2) remaining in 2007. In addition to this team victory, teammate Marcus Gronholm remains in contention for the drivers' championship, trailing by only six points despite having retired following an accident at the weekend.

The result of an extensive design and prototype development collaboration between Ford, M Sport, and Ricardo, the advanced competition transmission of the Focus RS rally cars had its debut at the end of the 2005 season. High levels of design optimization and precision manufacture are crucial for the successful design of a competitive WRC transmission such as this: the system is required to operate between maximum torque and maximum power conditions for most of its working life, placing exceptional demands on its gears, bearings and shafts.

Ricardo director of high performance transmissions systems, Mark Barge, said: "We are proud to have acted as the technical partner to M Sport and Ford on the transmission of the Focus RS World Rally Cars. With the BP-Ford team having secured a back-to-back victory with the 2007 manufacturer's championship as well as outright wins in 7 of the 15 events to date of the 2007 season, we congratulate the team and are pleased to have contributed in some small way to this success."

With technical centers and offices throughout Europe, the U.S. and Asia, Ricardo is a leading independent technology provider and deep-content strategic management consultant to the world's transportation sector industries. The company's engineering expertise ranges from vehicle systems integration, controls, electronics and software development, to the latest driveline and transmission systems and gasoline, diesel, hybrid and fuel cell powertrain technologies. Its customers include the world's major automakers, tier 1 suppliers and leading motorsport teams. The headquarters of Ricardo's U.S. operations, Ricardo, Inc., is located at Van Buren Township, Michigan. The company's skill base represents the state-of-the-art in low emissions and fuel-efficient powertrain technology, and can be best summarized: "Ricardo is Fuel Economy." Ricardo plc posted sales of $344 million in financial year 2007 and is a constituent of the FTSE techMark 100 index -- a group of innovative technology companies listed on the London Stock Exchange. For more information visit www.ricardo.com.