Delphi Finalizes Winter Test Facility Agreement

1 September 2000
Delphi Finalizes Winter Test Facility Agreement
     The Operation Will Provide a Cost-Effective Dynamic Test Capability
      For Delphi's High-Technology Automotive Ride and Handling Systems

    MARQUETTE, Mich., Aug. 31 The Marquette County Commission
has approved a five-year lease agreement with Delphi Automotive Systems
that will provide Delphi with extensive winter test capabilities
at the former K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base.  The lease includes 113 acres of
former Air Force office buildings, runways and grounds, as well as the
construction of a 5,000-square-foot engineering garage and office building
adjacent to the test area.
    Delphi Energy & Chassis Systems will operate the facility as an extension
of Delphi's Technical Center in Brighton, Mich., using existing engineering
personnel on temporary assignment from various Delphi technical centers during
the winter months.  According to R. Scott Bailey, director of engineering for
Delphi's Energy & Chassis division, the Marquette facility will greatly
enhance Delphi's ability to develop the advanced ride and handling systems
that are being designed in to many new vehicles.
    "With the steadily increasing popularity of sport-utility vehicles (SUVs),
stability enhancement systems such as Delphi's brake-based Traxxar(TM) and
suspension-based Dynamic Body Control system are in increasing demand," said
Bailey.  "The new Marquette facility provides room to safely test these
systems at or beyond their design limits to assure our customers get the best
product possible.
    "The new garage and support building will also allow us to simultaneously
work on several customer's vehicles in separate, secure areas to assure that
product confidentiality is maintained at all times," Bailey added.  "Good air
transportation, the lengthy period of cold weather provided by the Marquette
area and the attractive lease package offered by Marquette County were also
important factors in selecting this location."