Cleveland, Ohio / June 12, 2003 / Alcoa (NYSE:AA) announced today that Chrysler Group will feature its 16-inch forged aluminum wheels on the limited edition Jeep(R) Wrangler Rubicon Tomb Raider model based on the custom Wrangler Rubicon featured in the upcoming movie, Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life.

In order to coincide launch of the limited edition vehicle with Paramount Picture's release of the movie this summer, the Chrysler Group's Jeep brand approached Alcoa to design, produce and ship product in less than three months. Says Joel Alent, Account Manager for Forged Specialty Wheels, "Our ability to produce low volume specialty wheels and meet the quality and delivery needs of higher volume OEM products makes this an ideal partnership." Alcoa Wheel and Forged Products plant in Cleveland delivered. They conceived, sourced and shipped the short run of 5,000 wheels to the customer in less than three months.

Designed to handle the ongoing adventures of Lara Croft in Tomb Raider, the limited edition Jeep highlights the capability of the Wrangler Rubicon and Alcoa Wheels in extreme conditions. According to Tim Myers, General Manager for Alcoa's Forged Specialty Wheels Division, the new, niche forged 16" X 8" wheel mirrors Lara Croft's adventurous and rugged image because the just more than 1,000 limited edition vehicles are intended to be collector's models.

The limited edition Jeep Wrangler Tomb Raider model will be available in U.S. dealerships starting in July.

Alcoa Wheel and Forged Products, headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, manufactures forged aluminum wheels for the heavy truck industry, forged and cast aluminum wheels for the light truck and automotive industries, and forged aluminum, titanium and nickel-based alloy parts for aerospace and other industrial applications.

Alcoa is the world's leading producer of primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum and alumina, and is active in all major aspects of the industry. Alcoa serves the aerospace, automotive, packaging, building and construction, commercial transportation and industrial markets, bringing design, engineering, production and other capabilities of Alcoa's businesses as a single solution to customers. In addition to aluminum products and components, Alcoa also markets consumer brands including Reynolds Wrap(R) aluminum foil, Alcoa(R) wheels, and Baco(R) household wraps. Among its other businesses are vinyl siding, closures, precision castings, and electrical distribution systems for cars and trucks. The company has 127,000 employees in 40 countries.


Click here to view more current news articles