DEARBORN, Mich., May 21, 2001 - This morning, Ford's lead research team met with Firestone's top management in Nashville to present the most recent analysis of Firestone Wilderness AT tires. This analysis is based on discussions with both Firestone and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and includes a review of the latest Firestone real-world data, competitive tire data and exhaustive laboratory and vehicle testing. Tomorrow, we plan to inform our customers, NHTSA and Congress of these findings concerning Firestone Wilderness AT tires and, importantly, our actions to address these issues. We are deeply disappointed that upon hearing and seeing this analysis of Firestone Wilderness AT tires, Firestone decided not to work together for the safety of our shared customers, which is the only issue that matters. Regarding the Ford Explorer, the Department of Transportation data demonstrates that for more than 10 years, Explorer consistently has ranked at or near the top in terms of safety among the 12 SUVs in its class. In addition, 2.9 million Goodyear tires on Explorers have performed with industry-leading safety for more than 500,000 customers and their families. The safety and trust of our customers continues to be our number one priority and guides our every action.
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