Sealing, Thermal Technology from Dana Holding Corporation Featured on Mercedes-Benz S400 HYBRID

Dana Holding Corporation has announced it is supplying Victor Reinz® sealing products and thermal-acoustical protective shielding (TAPS) for the 2010 Mercedes-Benz S400 HYBRID, which is now available in the United States.

The S400 HYBRID is the first mass-production vehicle in the world that utilizes a lithium-ion battery designed specifically for automotive use.

“The Mercedes-Benz S400 HYBRID is one of the world’s most technically advanced new cars, and Dana’s cutting-edge technologies are helping to provide fuel-efficient, cost-effective solutions for this signature vehicle platform,” said Dana Chief Technical Officer George Constand.

The S400’s efficient yet powerful 3.5-liter V-6 engine is sealed with Dana’s multi-layer steel cylinder-head gasket, which incorporates Dana’s patented Wave-Stopper® sealing technology. The gasket, composed of annealed steel, works to maintain high-pressure seals at the most extreme temperatures – up to 200 degrees Celsius – resulting in overall improved engine performance.

To help protect the vehicle’s complex and critical power electronics system, it is also equipped with Dana’s thermal-acoustical protective shielding, designed to guard from extreme heat generated during engine operation. The lightweight, triple-layered design of the TAPS is composed of thin metal sections, resulting in nearly 40 percent mass reduction and significantly higher durability over conventional double-layer shields. Additionally, the compact design of the TAPS provides greater space savings within the S400’s engine architecture.

Dana is also supplying intake manifold gaskets and exhaust manifold gaskets on the hybrid engine. Composed of a matrix-coated steel, the intake gasket can seal components with varying levels of stiffness, and includes a fit-up aid for ease of assembly. The three-layer exhaust manifold gasket, made of spring steel, is designed to withstand high thermal and mechanical loads.

In addition to the S400 HYBRID, Dana provides a cylinder-head gasket featuring Wave-Stopper technology on the four-cylinder E250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY diesel engine for the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Combined with the E250’s advanced technology, the three-layer gasket reduces fuel consumption and exhaust gas emissions – and costs less than conventional head gaskets.

“Dana’s contributions to the S400 HYBRID demonstrate our ability to successfully adapt our core technologies to emerging industry segments such as the hybrid/electric vehicle market,” Constand added. “We look forward to providing global engineering and manufacturing expertise as automakers such as Mercedes-Benz further develop new powertrain applications.”

Dana developed and is manufacturing these technologies at its facility in Neu-Ulm, Germany.

About Dana Holding Corporation

Dana is a world leader in the supply of axles; driveshafts; and structural, sealing, and thermal-management products; as well as genuine service parts. The company’s customer base includes virtually every major vehicle manufacturer in the global automotive, commercial vehicle, and off-highway markets. Based in Maumee, Ohio, the company employs approximately 23,000 people in 26 countries and reported 2008 sales of $8.1 billion. For more information, please visit www.dana.com.