TORRANCE, Calif., Feb. 22, 1999 — IntelliChoice has named Honda vehicles in five categories for "Best Overall Value of the Year" awards for 1999.

The IntelliChoice honors cap an award-winning year for Honda, with MOTORWEEK, CAR AND DRIVER and AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE recognizing the Odyssey, Prelude, Civic and Accord with prestigious awards for quality, reliability and overall excellence.

The Honda Accord Coupe

Louise Goeser was appointed vice president, quality for Ford Motor Company on March 1, 1999. In that position she is responsible for ensuring superior quality in the design, manufacture, sale and service of all Ford cars, trucks and components worldwide.

Louise Goeser, Vice President Quality Ford

AK Steel Corporation of Middletown, Ohio, achieved special distinction tonight at Toyota's annual Supplier Business Meeting and Awards Ceremony in Cincinnati. AK Steel received two Superior Awards for quality and delivery. The Superior Award is the highest possible supplier recognition from Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America, Inc. (TMMNA).

In addition to AK Steel, seven other Toyota suppliers also won Superior Awards tonight for meeting Toyota's highest standards in quality, delivery, and value improvement for parts, materials, and transportation.

The other Superior Awards went to

• A.G. Simpson Automotive, Inc. of Ontario, Canada;
• Ambrake Corporation of Elizabethtown, Ky.;
• Eagle-Picher Automotive Hillsdale Division of Jonesville, Mich.;
• Nova Chemicals, Inc. of Monaca, Pa.; NSK Corporation of Franklin, Ind.;
• Summit Polymers, Inc. of Mt. Sterling, Ky.; and
• U.S. Engine Valve Company of Westminster, S.C.

The Supplier Business Meeting and Awards Ceremony brings together Toyota's approximately 500 North American suppliers. Each year, Toyota purchases more than $8 billion worth of parts and materials from its North American suppliers.

CarLink Program Designed to Research Shared-Use Vehicle Concept

DUBLIN, Calif., Feb. 3, 1999 — The nation's first car-sharing system using "smart-card" technology is being tested by a group including the University of California's Davis Institute of Transportation Studies and American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

The CarLink program was demonstrated at a press conference at the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) Dublin-Pleasanton station. Program members share the use of 12 natural gas-powered Civic GX sedans, supplied by Honda. Some members — daily commuters — drive to and from the BART station, using the cars mornings, evenings and weekends. Others travel to jobs in the Dublin area on BART, pick up cars at the station for use during the day and return them at the end of the workday. Onboard electronics monitor vehicle logistics, customer use and vehicle location and transmit this information to a command center.

FRANKFURT, March 19, 1999—According to Reuters German luxury car maker BMW AG said Thursday that a $1 billion loss at its Rover Group in Britain slashed its net profit by 28 percent last year, slightly more than expected.

The Munich-based carmaker said 1998 net income plunged to 903 million marks ($507.3 million) from 1.246 billion ($700 million) in 1997 after a whopping 1.871 billion mark ($1.05 billion) loss at Rover Group, which has been dubbed ``The English Patient.''

BMW said group earnings from ordinary activities fell to 2.076 billion marks ($1.17 billion) from 2.528 billion marks ($1.42 billion) in 1997. Earnings from ordinary activities at its BMW car unit rose 25 percent to 3.917 billion marks ($2.2 billion).

The company, which sold 1.187 million vehicles last year, said pre-tax profit fell to 2.076 billion marks ($1.17 billion) from 2.528 billion marks ($1.42 billion) in 1997.

BMW had said in January that earnings fell last year for the first time since 1995. Restructuring at the troubled Rover unit, which it acquired in 1994 for 800 million pounds ($1.3 billion), sapped profitability and overshadowed a rise in sales.

Rover got the green light for a major shake-up, including more than 2,500 job cuts and new flexible working practices, from British unions in December. BMW has vowed to try to turn Rover around by 2000.

BMW reiterated that it had not yet reached a decision on a site for the assembly of a new model to replace the aging Rover 200 and 400 series, which accounted for more than half of Rover's 487,700 vehicles sales last year.