DECEMBER 5, 2001

Cosworth developing engine for Aprilia

COSWORTH RACING, the engine-building arm of the Ford Motor Company's Premier Performance Division (which is headed by Niki Lauda), is to build a four-stroke motorcycle engine for the Italian motorcycle firm Aprilia. The engine will be unveiled on Thursday at the Bologna Motor Show, although prototype engines have already been tested at Mugello by rider Roberto Rolfo. Aprilia is not going to be racing in the 500cc series this year but intends to return with the Cosworth unit in 2003. Opposition will come from Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki plus the engine which has been designed for Petronas by Sauber.

The Aprilia program adds further work to the Cosworth business which is currently supplying two F1 teams, several CART teams and the Ford factory World Rally Championship operation. The company was doing some development work for Ford in NASCAR but we believe that this program has now ended.

Cosworth currently employs 650 people, around 70 of them in the United States.