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News Watch Issue 12 Thursday, March 28, 2002

Staff, Thursday March 28, 2002.

Page 1 of 1

An occasional series, News Watch aims to bring interesting news and happenings from Ford in Australia and around the world to the automotive media. Our leading stories will continue to be distributed to you via media releases. News Watch is designed to bring you the lighter stories that may not justify a media release but nevertheless may be of interest - stories about Ford people, history, services, events etc. If you wish to follow up on any of the stories or require photos, please contact Ford Australia Communications on phone 03-9359-8491.

FORD LEADS THE WAY ON HARMONY DAY
Ford Australia is a microcosm of multiculturalism with 68 nationalities represented across its operations. So it is not surprising that it was chosen as a company role model by the Department of Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs during Harmony Day celebrated Australia-wide recently to recognize the benefits of workplace diversity. Ford in Geelong was chosen as a site to launch the designated day by the Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, Gary Hardgrave, and the company was featured in a booklet distributed nationally to promote the event. Ford Diversity Manager, Angela Malone, says as well as diversity being about fairness and doing the right thing, there is also compelling business reasons to value differences in people. "An inclusive environment encourages every employee to contribute to the success of the business. It is only through full employee involvement that we can produce innovative vehicles that make Ford products the first choice for customers," she said. Ford has an employee/union diversity council, work/life balance programs and training to develop volunteer diversity contact officers. Cultural diversity is also reflected in Ford's annual work calendar which recognises significant cultural and religious events such as Chinese New Year and Ramadan. Prayer rooms are provided for Muslim employees as well as facilities for Christian groups.

BUILDING STRONG COMMUNITIES
Community involvement has been integral to Ford operations the world over since the company was founded by the Ford family nearly 100 years ago. Today that spirit of giving back to the communities where we live and work is as strong as ever. Take, for example, the recent support by Ford Australia of the Leukaemia Foundation with scores of employees undergoing head shaves ? including the company's IT and E-business Vice President, Brenda Richardson ? with a staggering $20,000 raised for this worthy cause. Ford also recently participated in a national blood donor drive involving businesses and community groups. The Summer Blood Challenge is designed to increase donor numbers over the summer months, when traditionally blood donation numbers are low as a result of Christmas and holidays. The huge response of employees saw Ford receive an award from the Australian Red Cross for recruiting the most new blood donors. Early March also saw employees providing hands-on support for Clean Up Australia Day, which Ford sponsors nationally, by cleaning up parkland in areas near to company operations. Ford's Corporate Citizenship Manager, Gail Rodgers, says such initiatives are not only about helping community causes but also make good business sense, creating opportunities for employees to develop teamwork and leadership skills.

NEW POP-UP BONNET DESIGNED TO PROTECT PEDESTRIANS
A specially designed bonnet that "pops up" in an accident to help protect against pedestrian head injuries has been developed by engineers at Ford Motor Company in Germany. The mechanical bonnet system is featured on a demonstration Ford Focus, which also has a modified bumper and redesigned headlamps that help absorb the impact in a pedestrian accident, reducing leg injuries. The bonnet system uses sensors to detect contact between a pedestrian and the leading edge of the bumper or bonnet. The bonnet is then moved back and up using either spring pressure or pyrotechnically by gas injectors. The bumper uses multiple density foams and a structural undertray designed to support the legs of a pedestrian and to reduce impact forces. The headlamp surround is also redesigned to avoid the chance of glass breaking and reducing the risk of cuts to the pedestrian's legs. The vehicle was designed following accident research using the latest computer technology at Ford's research centre in Aachen, Germany. The preliminary findings of crash tests using the vehicle are being analysed and will be shared with engineers working on future generations of Ford cars.

NEW TELEMATICS CONSORTIUM FOR EUROPE
Ford Motor Company, PSA Peugeot Citroen and Renault-Nissan have announced the formation of a joint venture for the development of new telematics in Europe. The new company represents a first co-operation in the telematics sector between three of the world's leading car manufacturers, with all three partners holding an equal share. The future company, as yet unnamed, will capitalize on the combined telematic capabilities and technologies of the three manufacturers to develop a shared European infrastructure capable of providing each with efficient and affordable, mobility-related, car centric services for their customers. In particular, the joint venture is targeting a reduction in the cost to customers of providing telematics services by achieving economies of scale, the exploration of synergies, and by sharing experience and know-how gained from existing telematics facilities.

FORD SPONSORS WORLDWIDE ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP CENTRE
Ford Motor Company and Conservation International, a nonprofit organization committed to the preservation of natural ecosystems, have created the Centre for Environmental Leadership in Business. The goal is to engage the private sector, environmentalists and academics in the creation of innovative solutions for the world's principal environmental problems. Ford, as the main sponsor, will contribute $US25 million over the next five years. Based in Washington, CELB will concentrate its activities on the industries that have the greatest environmental impact on the world's most critical ecosystems -- such as agriculture, forestry, fishing, energy, mining, travel and leisure, transportation and manufacturing. "Preventing negative environmental impacts is much cheaper than trying to reverse their consequences, besides improving the reputation of companies in the community and among consumers, employees and shareholders," said Martin Zimmerman, FMC Vice President Governmental Affairs. "As business gains increasing influences across the world and public support for conservation grows, companies are given new incentives to show their leadership in the environmental field."

FORD DELIVERS ITS MOST ADVANCED ENVIRONMENTAL VEHICLE EVER
Ford Motor Company is combining the latest hybrid electric vehicle technology with an advanced fuel cell to create an all-new, highly efficient, zero-emissions Ford Focus that will debut at this year's New York International Auto Show. The new Ford Focus Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV) is the company's most advanced environmental vehicle ever. It is also one of the industry's first "hybridized fuel cell vehicles" ? which combines the improved range and performance of hybrid technology with the overall benefits of a fuel cell. "This is the prototype of the groundbreaking fuel cell vehicle that we begin building in 2004," says John Wallace, Executive Director of Ford's environmental TH!NK group. "This latest technology brings us one step closer to our long-term goal of providing customers with the environmental benefits of a fuel cell without compromising on today's performance and functionality." In all, five Focus FCV's will be produced this year for testing and demonstration ? leading up to low-volume customer production by 2004.

FORD GT70 RETURNS TO GOODWOOD
Ford Motor Company in Europe is restoring a rare GT70 rally car that has not turned a wheel in anger since the early Seventies. The Ford GT70 was conceived in 1970 by Competition's Director, Stuart Turner and Ford rally driver, Roger Clark, on their way back from an unsuccessful Monte Carlo Rally. Aware that the Ford Escort rally car in its current format was unlikely to be a match for cars such as the new Lancia Stratos with its Ferrari engine or the Renault Alpine, Turner and Clark decided that a new course of action was needed. It was agreed the best option for rally success was a light and simple two-seater designed to take a variety of engines. GT40 designer Len Bailey was commissioned to design the body and the GT70 made its debut with Clark at the wheel at the Ronde Cevenole rally in France in 1971. Teething problems kept Roger out of the points on that occasion. Following test sessions at Goodwood in the UK, the GT70 was driven again by Francois Mazat on the Tour de France in the same year. Unfortunately, their tour ended against a wall in the Alps. Sadly, world rally championship rule changes and other influences curtailed the intensive development of the GT70 that had been planned, and its full potential was never realized. The fully restored GT70 makes a return to its first competitive event in 30 years at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July 2002.

For further information contact:
Ford Australia Communications
Phone: 03 9359 8491

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