Johnson Controls Produces Seats and Interior Consoles For Ford SUV
25 August 1999
Johnson Controls Produces Seats and Interior Consoles For Ford's All-new Excursion Sport-utility Vehicle
Firm plays key role to create innovative products
that add value and complement SUV's versatility
PLYMOUTH, Mich., Aug. 25 -- Automotive supplier Johnson
Controls has started building seat systems and overhead consoles for the
model-year 2000 Ford Excursion -- a heavy-duty sport-utility vehicle (SUV)
that will be available in dealer showrooms this fall.
The all-new Excursion -- a large, powerful and versatile vehicle -- is
Ford's first entry into the heavy-duty SUV segment. For model-year 2000, the
automaker is expected to produce 50,000 Ford Excursion vehicles.
Designers and engineers at Johnson Controls -- a leading, global supplier
of automotive interior systems -- played a key role in creating innovative
interior systems for the new Ford SUV.
"We sought to create distinctive, high-performance products that add value
and match the versatility of this outstanding vehicle," said Mike Johnston,
president of the North America and Asia Pacific regions for Johnson Controls.
"The Excursion will be a winner for Ford, and we're pleased to contribute to
its success."
Featuring a roomy interior, the Excursion offers comfortable seating for
up to nine adults, and 48 cubic feet of cargo space, when all three rows of
seats are in place.
The vehicle's overhead console is attractive, offering a range of
available features. They include: a trip computer, outside air-temperature
display, lighting, power-vent window switches, controls for the rear air
conditioning, and storage for a garage-door opener and sunglasses. Also
available as an integrated feature in the overhead console is PathPoint(TM) --
a patented, digital compass system from Johnson Controls.
Seat systems for the Excursion are comfortable, luxurious and flexible.
Buyers of the Excursion XLT model can choose either the standard "40-20-40"
front-row bench seat or optional dual captain's chairs. Also -- on the XLT
model -- cloth seats are standard and leather seats are optional.
On the up-scale Excursion Limited model, front-row, dual captain's chairs
and leather seating surfaces are standard equipment, and heated front seats
are available as an option.
All models offer "60-40" split bench seating in the second row, and an
"easy-to-remove," full bench seat in the third row. The second-row seats
feature a dual tip/slide function, and have an independent reclining feature.
Expanding the vehicle's cargo-carrying capacity is simple. Rollers on the
third-row bench make the unit easy to remove and re-install. Seat backs on the
second-row bench seats can be folded flat, either separately or together. With
the rear bench removed, and the second-row bench fully folded down, the
Excursion offers 146.4 cubic feet of cargo space.
For enhanced safety, the second-row bench seats have child-seat tether
anchors.
The Excursion -- built at Ford's Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville -- is
based on the automaker's Super Duty F-Series pickup truck platform. It targets
active adults in the growing heavy-duty SUV market and is expected to be
popular for both personal and business use.
Excursion is designed to provide customers with a fresh, new choice in the
heavy-duty utility market. It offers more space and convenience for
passengers, more utility for activities such as towing, and more versatility
for carrying cargo and luggage.
Two Johnson Controls plants are involved in manufacturing interior systems
for the Excursion. The seats are built at the supplier's facility in
Shelbyville, Kentucky, while the overhead consoles are produced at one of the
company's sites in Holland, Michigan.
Johnson Controls is a major supplier of vehicle interior systems to Ford
and other global automakers. Among the Ford cars, trucks and vans that feature
Johnson Controls content "on-board" are: Ford F-Series and Ranger pickups;
Expedition, Excursion, Explorer, Windstar minivan, Focus and Taurus; Lincoln
LS, Continental, Town Car, and Navigator; and Mercury Cougar, Mountaineer,
Sable, Mystique and Villager minivan.
The Plymouth, Michigan-based automotive operations of Johnson Controls
will supply interior products for more than 22 million vehicles in 1999 and
achieved US$9.3 billion in sales for the 1998 fiscal year.
Johnson Controls, Inc. is a global market leader in automotive systems and
facility management and control. In the automotive market, it is a major
supplier of seating and interior systems, and batteries. For non-residential
facilities, Johnson Controls provides building control systems and services,
energy management and integrated facility management. Johnson Controls,
founded in 1885, has headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Its sales for 1998
totaled US$12.6 billion.
NOTE TO EDITORS: For access to other Johnson Controls news releases and
additional company information, visit the company's site on the World Wide Web
at http://www.johnsoncontrols.com
CONTACT: David Roznowski of Johnson Controls, 734-254-5632
Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/473547.html or fax,
800-758-5804, ext. 473547
Web site: http://www.johnsoncontrols.com