---

Ward's Ten Best Engines to Energize Auto Show

7 January 1998

Ward's Ten Best Engines to Energize Auto Show

    SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Jan. 6 -- The auto industry's "Ten Best
Engines" have been selected by two leading automotive publications to
recognize excellence in powertrain engineering.
    Ward's AutoWorld and Ward's Engine and Vehicle Technology Update will
present their fourth annual "Ten Best" awards during the North American
International Auto Show in Detroit on January 7.  Representatives from each
winning automaker -- BMW, Ford, General Motors, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan,
Toyota, and Volkswagen -- are scheduled to accept their "Best Engine" honors.
    Six Ward's editors evaluated the 4-, 6- and 8-cylinder engines of 28 cars,
trucks and SUVs over a two-month period this fall.  Scoring encompassed the
crucial engine characteristics of power, torque, and driveability as well as
the intangible, overall 'feel' of the engine.  To ensure the awards are
meaningful to the average car-buyer, the Ward's panel limited nominations to
vehicles costing less than $50,000.
    The January issues of Ward's AutoWorld and Ward's Vehicle and Technology
Update feature in-depth analysis of each winning engine, and the website
http://www.wardsauto.com spreads the "Ten Best Engine" news over the Internet.
    The Ward's Ten Best Engines of 1998:

    *  BMW AG - N52B25 2.5L I-6
    *  BMW AG - S50USB32 3.2 L I-6
    *  Ford Motor Company - SVT 2.5L High Output DOHC V-6
    *  Ford Motor Company - 5.4L Triton SOHC V-8
    *  General Motors Corporation - LS1 5.7L V-8
    *  Mazda Motor Corporation - Type KJ Miller-cycle 2.3L V-6
    *  Mercedes-Benz AG - 3.2L SOHC V-6
    *  Nissan Motor Company Limited - VQ30DE 3L V-6
    *  Toyota Motor Corporation - 1UZ-FE 4L DOHC V-8
    *  Volkswagen AG - 1.8L 5-valve I-4

    Ward's AutoWorld is a monthly magazine reaching more than 100,000
automotive professionals in the U.S. and abroad, with in-depth coverage of
news shaping the industry.  The monthly newsletter Ward's Engine and Vehicle
Technology Update provides detailed analysis of engineering advancements and
technical issues.
    Each is published by the Southfield-based Ward's Communications, a
division of Intertec Publishing Corp.  Other Ward's publications include
Ward's Automotive Reports, Ward's Automotive International, Focus on China and
Ward's Automotive Yearbook.
    Ward's Communications editors are experts on virtually any automotive
topic. For their insights, please call 248-357-0800 and ask for:

    *  David C. Smith - General automotive subjects
    *  Bill Visnic - Engines, product technology
    *  Drew Winter - Materials & manufacturing
    *  Greg Gardner - Management, labor & suppliers
    *  Tom Murphy - General automotive subjects
    *  David E. Zoia - General automotive & international subjects
    *  Jeff Green - N. American automotive production & sales
    *  Said Deep - International subjects
    *  Andrea Wielgat - International subjects
    *  Tim Keenan - Supplier relationships, heavy-duty vehicles
    *  Natalie Neff - Engines, product technology
    *  Haig Stoddard - Statistics & database operations.

SOURCE  Ward's Communications