Dana Corporation to Supply High-Performance Spaceframe for General Motors' 2006 Z06 Corvette

Toledo, Ohio -- Jan 12, 2005 -- Dana Corporation (NYSE: DCN) announced today that it will supply an all-aluminum, ultra-lightweight spaceframe for General Motors’ 2006 Z06 Corvette.  The car will be featured at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, which opens Saturday.

The spaceframe was designed and developed using the latest manufacturing technologies.  Among the major benefits, Dana engineers were able to reduce the spaceframe mass by more than 30 percent from the original all-steel design.  This helped GM surpass its target for lower total frame weight.

“Dana has long played an instrumental role in providing components to the Corvette,” said Michael J. Burns, Dana chairman and CEO.  “We’re excited to supply our advanced aluminum spaceframe to a special edition of this American classic.”

The spaceframe design consists of approximately 90 aluminum components (excluding fasteners) – fewer when compared to the original steel structure.  Dana combined various aluminum technologies to meet GM’s requirement for exceptional rigidity, while also meeting all governmental crash and safety standards.

“This aluminum spaceframe represents a significant advancement due to the industry-leading technologies Dana used,” added Burns.  “Dana’s expertise in frames and metal-working spans more than a century.  In concert with other Dana technologies, such as hydroforming and magnetic-pulse welding, this spaceframe demonstrates our commitment to pushing the boundaries of metal forming and joining to answer each customer’s unique structural needs.”

In manufacturing the frame, Dana utilizes aluminum forming technologies such as hydroforming, extruding, castings, and stampings.   Among the assembly technologies employed are self-piercing rivets, flexible machining, and laser welding.  Dana achieved an industry breakthrough in the application of laser welding technology by utilizing material thicknesses nearly double that of the industry average.  Through the use of advanced computer- and robotic-driven processes, Dana was also able to consistently meet the high tolerances required by GM.

The large, full-length, aluminum side rails that make up a major portion of the spaceframe are hydroformed by General Motors at its Pontiac, Mich., MetalCenter.

In addition to the frame, Dana provides powertrain sealing systems and piston rings for the program.  Two Dana joint ventures also play important roles in providing key vehicle content.  TREMEC, a subsidiary in Mexico, provides the transmission, and the U.S. subsidiary of GETRAG, a German-based joint venture, supplies the rear axle. 

Dana Corporation is a global leader in the design, engineering, and manufacture of value-added products and systems for automotive, commercial, and off-highway vehicles.  Delivering on a century of innovation, the company's continuing operations employ approximately 45,000 people worldwide dedicated to advancing the science of mobility.  Founded in 1904 and based in Toledo, Ohio, Dana operates technology, manufacturing, and customer-service facilities in 30 countries.  Sales from continuing operations totaled $7.9 billion in 2003.  Dana’s Internet address is www.dana.com.