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BorgWarner Unveils First Interactive Front-Wheel 4x4 System on Acura MDX

19 June 2000

BorgWarner Unveils First Interactive Front-Wheel 4x4 System on Acura MDX

    CHICAGO - In an industry breakthrough, BorgWarner Inc. is launching the first 
electronically controlled four-wheel drive system for a front-wheel drive 
vehicle.  Known as InterActive Torque Management(TM), the system will be 
introduced on the Acura MDX, a luxury sports-utility vehicle available to 
consumers in September.  Acura expects to sell about 40,000 units annually.

    BorgWarner InterActive Torque Management(TM), which Acura calls Variable
Torque Management on the MDX, offers consumers better handling and fuel
economy, improved security, and more flexibility than passive, mechanical
four-wheel drive systems.  The patented technology electronically senses when
a vehicle's front wheels slip and instantaneously transfers power to the rear
axle, from side to side and even to a single wheel.

    BorgWarner engineers based the new system on their electronic innovations
in rear-wheel drive systems for larger sport-utility vehicles first introduced
in the mid-1990s.  Anticipating that consumers will appreciate the same safety
and handling features in their front-wheel drive vehicles, BorgWarner is
adapting the electronic technology for minivans, station wagons, cars and
crossover vehicles (SUVs on car platforms).

    "BorgWarner has again created the benchmark against which other four-wheel
drive systems will be measured," said Timothy Manganello, president of
BorgWarner TorqTransfer Systems.  "In the future, we foresee the security and
versatility of all-wheel and four-wheel drive systems as standard equipment on
all cars -- not just SUVs and trucks.  By adapting our four-wheel drive
technology to front-wheel drive passenger cars, we expect to tap into a market
with an estimated growth rate of approximately 200% by the year 2009."

    As a lightweight "smart" system, BorgWarner InterActive Torque
Management(TM) improves fuel economy and reduces emissions compared with
today's mechanical systems.  With the BorgWarner system, the four-wheel drive
is not engaged continuously, but is only used as needed.  Unlike other
systems, BorgWarner InterActive Torque Management(TM) is also fully
interactive with other vehicle systems such as anti-lock brake and vehicle
dynamic systems.  The enhanced traction and stability provided by the new
technology is an added benefit for extreme off-road as well as towing
applications.

    BorgWarner TorqTransfer Systems is the leading independent global designer
and producer of transfer cases and systems for four-wheel and all-wheel drive
vehicles for the sport-utility and light truck markets.  Major customers
include Ford Motor Company, Mercedes-Benz, Isuzu Motors Ltd. and General
Motors Corp.

    Chicago-based BorgWarner is a product leader in highly engineered
components and systems for vehicle powertrain applications worldwide.  The
company operates 60 manufacturing and technical facilities in 13 countries.
Customers include Ford, DaimlerChrysler, General Motors, Toyota, Honda,
Caterpillar, Navistar, PSA and VW/Audi Group.