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Ford's All-New Sport Utility to be Low Emissions Vehicle

22 July 1998

Ford's All-New Sport Utility to be Low Emissions Vehicle

    CLAYCOMO, Mo., July 22 -- Ford Motor Company's all-
new sport utility vehicle, scheduled to go into production at Ford's Kansas
City Assembly Plant in 2000, will meet U.S. Low Emission Vehicle standards.
    The new lifestyle vehicle will join more than 800,000 Ford, Lincoln and
Mercury light trucks that will achieve Low Emission Vehicle (LEV) status
beginning with the 1999 model year.
    "Earlier this year, we committed to making all of our sport utility
vehicles and the Windstar minivan Low Emission Vehicles," said Jac Nasser,
president of Ford Automotive Operations.  "That commitment does not stop with
the 1999 model year.  We intend to continue to increase the number of vehicles
in Ford's 'clean fleet' and this new lifestyle vehicle is our latest
addition."
    Vehicles that meet LEV standards emit almost 70 percent fewer smog-forming
hydrocarbon emissions than required by U.S., Canadian, or Mexican regulations.
This means the Company's LEV trucks not only beat emissions standards for
other trucks, but are as clean as most passenger cars on the road today.
    In addition to meeting LEV standards, the new vehicle's fuel economy -- at
more than 20 miles per gallons -- will be comparable to many family sedans.
Also, the Kansas City Assembly Plant, where the vehicle will be built, has
been certified under the ISO 14001 international environmental standard as
part of Ford's commitment to certify all of its facilities worldwide by the
end of 1998.  The standard encompasses all environmental aspects of a
manufacturing site, including energy use, water treatment, waste disposal,
noise and air quality, and requires an organization to monitor and continually
improve its performance.

    Ford's Low Emission Vehicle Fleet
    The new vehicle will be joining Ford's sweeping 1999 LEV initiative which
includes the Company's entire SUV lineup -- the Ford Explorer and Expedition,
Mercury Mountaineer and Lincoln Navigator -- and the Ford Windstar minivan.
This means one in every five vehicles Ford sells in the United States in the
1999 model year will meet LEV standards.
    In addition, the 1999 Windstar will be further calibrated to achieve even
stricter Ultra Low Emission Vehicle standards in California.  Ten other
vehicles also are certified as Low Emissions Vehicles under California's
strict guidelines -- Ford Escort, Taurus, Crown Victoria, Mustang, F-Series
and Ranger; Mercury Tracer, Sable and Grand Marquis; and Lincoln Town Car.