RETAIL

WARRENDALE, Pa. -- AVL North America, a Plymouth, Michigan-based powertrain engineering, instrumentation and simulation software supplier will sponsor the popular Technology Theater at the SAE 2004 World Congress at Cobo Hall in Detroit March 8-11. The Technology Theater hosts high level executives and panels that discuss pressing issues affecting engineering, technology, and design in the global automotive industry. The Technology Theater concept was launched last year at the annual SAE World Congress event. SAE Director of Automotive Business Dave Amati remarked, "We are delighted to have a leading technology company with global reach like AVL on board with us as sponsor of the Technology Theater. We were honored to have Helmut List (AVL Global Chairman and CEO) speak at the Theater in 2003, and we anticipate another line-up of world-class speakers at this year's event." AVL North America Chairman and CEO Don Manvel said, "AVL has always been about leading edge technology. The types of topics, technologies and executives featured in the Technology Theater at SAE World Congress are near and dear to the heart of what we do." AVL will join DENSO North America, Nissan, Motorola, Microsoft, Yazaki, DuPont, AISIN and Robert Bosch on the growing list of companies sponsoring key activities and/or exhibiting at the SAE 2004 World Congress. Several OEMs have committed to display advanced technologies on the exhibit floor again this year, including DaimlerChrysler, Ford, and General Motors. AVL is the world's largest privately owned and independent company for the development of powertrain systems with internal combustion engines as well as simulation and test systems. Since 1947, the SAE World Congress has been the world's largest meeting and exposition devoted to automotive engineering and product technology. Each year the world of automotive engineering, design, and technology descends on Cobo Hall for the SAE World Congress. It remains the primary forum for the best and brightest technical talent to meet and exchange ideas with their peers. For the latest information about the SAE 2004 World Congress, see the web page http://www.sae.org/congress