November 6, 2002

Ford's expanded Windsor operations to produce new Triton V8 engine

Windsor, Ontario - Ford of Canada's largest engine plants soon will begin full-scale production of a new 5.4-litre Triton V8 engine that will power the next-generation Ford F-150 pickup. The milestone will mark the culmination of a massive, three-year expansion program and investment of nearly $770 million.

Key to the new engine's increased power, refinement and fuel economy, is a 3-valve cylinder head produced by Windsor Engine Plant and shipped to an all- new production line at Essex Engine Plant for final assembly.

The two-plant collaboration is Ford of Canada's most ambitious engine plant expansion in recent history, representing 70,200 square metres of new facilities and an injection of millions in the economy of Canada's automotive heartland.

"Ford F-Series has been Canada's best-selling full-size pickup for 36 years and is one of our top nameplates in the world," said Alain Batty, Ford of Canada's president & CEO. "That underscores the importance of our new engine and Windsor's unique role in the success of the F-150."

"Windsor is the largest centre of engine production in Ford's global operations," said Chris Bolen, Plant Manager at Ford's Windsor Engine Plant. Bolen noted both Windsor and Essex Engine Plants are on track to surpass last year's production of 1.1 million engines.

Graham Harris, Ford of Canada's launch manager for the new engine, noted the new cylinder-head line at Windsor Engine Plant utilizes flexible manufacturing techniques.

"The installation of flexible manufacturing at Windsor Engine Plant is the first in what will be a global rollout of new and innovative manufacturing techniques at Ford engine facilities throughout the world," he said.

Construction to expand both plants began in Spring 2000. Essex Engine Plant has received a 22,500 square metre building expansion that includes a new production line for the final assembly of the new 3-valve 5.4- litre Triton V-8 engines, as well as a new crankshaft machining area.

Although full production occurs in 2003, plant manager Aaron McKey has confirmed that limited assembly of a three-valve V8 engine for the Ford Falcon range in Australia is already under way.

"Canadian-built engines are powering the impressive new Ford Falcon a world away in Australia. By next year, our engines will also be powering the next generation of the best-selling Ford F-150 pickup. These are significant pride points for the 2,000 men and women employed at Essex Engine Plant," said McKey.

The new Triton(TM) engine represents the first V8 power plant produced at Essex Engine Plant. It will be added to Essex' current production of the split-port 3.8-litre V-6 engine for the Ford Windstar and Mustang, and the split-port, 4.2-litre V-6 engine for the F-150 pickup.

Across town, Windsor Engine Plant has increased in size by some 25 percent, having received a 48,000 square metre facility expansion.

The 2,400 employees at Windsor Engine Plant are primarily involved in the assembly of Ford's Triton family of 4.6- and 5.4-litre V8, and 6.8-litre V10 engines and the precision machining of several engine components such as cylinder blocks, cylinder heads, camshafts, crankshafts and connecting rods. The recent expansion provides for the assembly of 650,000 sets of cylinder heads and camshafts, plus the machining of additional cylinder heads, for the new 3-valve 5.4-litre Triton V8 engine.

The new 5.4-litre Triton V8 engine that will power Ford's next- generation F-150 pickup is designed with three valves per cylinder, variable- cam timing and a host of other features that provide increased power, refinement and fuel economy.

The net result is an engine that delivers 300 horsepower at 5,000 rpm, and 365 ft-lb of torque at 3,750 rpm, both best in class for a light duty pickup. The all-new, aluminum cylinder head -- with two intake valves and one exhaust valve per cylinder, for 24 valves in total -- and a revised cast-iron block balance this impressive power with better fuel efficiency and quieter operation.

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