· Injection engineering as key to high efficiency and great pollution reduction

· Economy potential of modern diesel engines without comparison

· German Future Award for piezo direct injection

The 100 millionth Common-Rail injector for passenger car diesel engines has recently come off the Bosch assembly lines. This production output documents the outstanding success of the Common-Rail system which was launched by Bosch in 1997. Some 23 million passenger cars have been fitted with it until this day. In 2005, Bosch produces some 26 million Common-Rail injectors for passenger car engines in seven locations on three continents. The third generation of the Common-Rail system with innovative piezo-inline injectors in currently manufactured at the Bosch plant in Bamberg/Germany as well as in two other European locations. This year's Deutsche Zukunftspreis, the German Future Award of the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, was recently jointly presented to researchers and developers of Bosch and Siemens VDO for the utilization of piezo technology.

Diesel engines are enjoying a steadily increasing market share, first and foremost in Europe, due to their great fuel economy and low pollution. And for good reasons, since vehicles with diesel engines consume about 30 percent less fuel than comparable vehicles with a gasoline engine, as has been confirmed by the German Federal agency for vehicles in 2004, the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt. In other words: if drivers of diesel-powered vehicles converted to gasoline-powered vehicles with the same performance, they would have to live with a 50 percent higher fuel consumption – suffering not only the additional expense but also a shorter mileage with every tank full of fuel.

Diesel engines offer great economy potential in various ways: not only is the fuel economy greater, prices for fuel in Europe are generally under those for gasoline. And with increasing fuel prices, the diesel's economy will become even more important in the future. At present, almost one out of two passenger cars newly registered in Europe is powered by a diesel engine. If every car were equipped with a diesel engine, more than 5 billion liters of fuel could be saved in Germany alone – a quantity which would allow an average diesel-powered passenger car to cover a distance of about 94 billion kilometers, which is equal to 300 times the distance from the earth to the sun and back. And our environment would also benefit, since diesel engines emit about 25 percent less of the green-house gas carbon dioxide than comparable conventional gasoline engines. Thus diesel engines are not only demonstrating their great economy but are also outstanding when it comes to being low pollutant. The great fuel economy is furthermore providing a sparing use of resources such a fossil energies. And thanks to its fabulous torque even at low speed, a modern diesel engine is guaranteed to give you the most exciting driving experience.

The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. In the areas of automotive and industrial technology, consumer goods, and building technology, some 275,000 associates generated sales of 38.2 billion euros in fiscal 2009. The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its more than 300 subsidiaries and regional companies in over 60 countries. If its sales and service partners are included, then Bosch is represented in roughly 150 countries. This worldwide development, manufacturing, and sales network is the foundation for growth. Each year, Bosch spends more than 3.5 billion euros for research and development, and applies for some 3,800 patents worldwide. With all its products and services, Bosch enhances the quality of life by providing solutions which are both innovative and beneficial. The company was set up in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch (1861-1942) as “Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering.” The special ownership structure of Robert Bosch GmbH guarantees the entrepreneurial freedom of the Bosch Group, making it possible for the company to plan over the long term and to undertake significant up-front investments in the safeguarding of its future. Ninety-two percent of the share capital of Robert Bosch GmbH is held by Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH, a charitable foundation. The majority of voting rights are held by Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG, an industrial trust. The entrepreneurial ownership functions are carried out by the trust. The remaining shares are held by the Bosch family and by Robert Bosch GmbH. Additional information can be accessed at www.bosch.com.

PI5152 - December 2005