Toyota Motorsport Races Forward with Dassault Systèmes Solutions

11/22/2007

Partnership Extends to Include Realistic Simulation & 3D Collaboration

COLOGNE, Germany, November 22, 2007- Dassault Systèmes (DS) (Nasdaq: DASTY; Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA), a world leader in 3D and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions, announced today the extension of its Toyota Motorsport GmbH partnership to include realistic simulation for virtual car testing and a 3D real-time development hub with DS’s end-to-end PLM solutions. Toyota Motorsport’s Formula 1 team practices Toyota’s Kaizen philosophy of continuous improvement by always pushing the limits of technical innovation.  This is where Dassault Systèmes plays a major role.

Toyota Motorsport’s mission is to provide its Formula 1 racing team, “Panasonic Toyota Racing”, with the fastest car possible, respecting the tight, two-week race schedule.  One of its biggest challenges is to quickly adapt car design to upcoming racing conditions, such as circuit configurations, driver racing style, and weather conditions, as well as to comply with FIA[1] regulations.

“We view all partnerships, and in particular the one we have with Dassault Systèmes, as a win-win opportunity.  Dassault Systèmes offers us car development solutions that give us the cutting-edge performance that is required in Formula 1,” says John Howett, president of Toyota Motorsport.  “At the same time, we like to think we’re pushing Dassault Systèmes’ technology to new limits because of the ultimate challenge of material and performance that Formula 1 demands.”

The partnership began in 2004, as Toyota Motorsport deployed DS’s CATIA for virtual design and ENOVIA for product data management and collaboration to build their Formula 1 development hub. Today this hub uses 3D as the common project language to allow anyone to quickly access and intuitively understand design and product information. For instance, every person on the shop floor and in the assembly workshop uses the development hub to see the parts they have to produce. The track mechanics use DS’s digital mock-up (DMU) applications to understand the car components’ assembly requirements.  Toyota Motorsport’s marketing department uses photorealistic renderings to show sponsors how their logos will look in front of millions of TV viewers. All of these activities have improved the speed and accuracy of the team allowing them to make continuous improvements.

To further cut vehicle development time, Toyota Motorsport started using DS’s realistic simulation products from SIMULIA for virtual testing.  Toyota Motorsport’s chassis department uses Abaqus FEA to do important structural calculations in the early stages of car development.  “The software’s speed and accuracy for nonlinear analysis let us fine tune the chassis and optimize vehicle performance very quickly. This is critical since every two weeks we face a different track with different characteristics that impact performance,” adds Markus Schwarze, manager of IT technical applications, Toyota Motorsport.  These tools are also used in the engine department enabling Toyota Motorsport to test and perfect models before actual production and ultimately make quicker racecars.

Dassault Systèmes has been working with major automotive industry companies for over 20 years and provides a full range of PLM solutions to help them compete.  For more information about Dassault Systèmes’ automotive solutions, please visit:  http://www.3ds.com/products-solutions/plm-solutions/

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[1] Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile

About About Toyota Motorsport GmbH

Toyota Motorsport GmbH (TMG) has been at the forefront of Toyota’s international auto racing programs for nearly 30 years. During this time, it has won 3 World Rally Championships for Manufacturers, 4 World Rally Championships for Drivers, and 43 World Rally Championship events. In 1998 and 1999, TMG designed, built and operated the Toyota GT-One for the Le Mans 24-Hour race. It recorded the fastest lap both years and, in 1999, claimed the pole position and second place in the race. In December 1999, TMG secured the right to participate in Formula 1 racing, and will enter a team no later than 2002. With this overriding objective, TMG is expanding its Cologne, Germany headquarters, adding approximately 10000 square meters of facilities, making approximately 30000 in total dedicated to Formula 1 development. TMG employs a multinational team of over 400 designers, engineers and support personnel.

About Dassault Systèmes

As a world leader in 3D and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions, Dassault Systèmes brings value to more than 100,000 customers in 80 countries. A pioneer in the 3D software market since 1981, Dassault Systèmes develops and markets PLM application software and services that support industrial processes and provide a 3D vision of the entire lifecycle of products from conception to maintenance. The Dassault Systèmes portfolio consists of CATIA for designing the virtual product - SolidWorks for 3D mechanical design - DELMIA for virtual production - SIMULIA for virtual testing - ENOVIA for global collaborative lifecycle management, and 3DVIA for online 3D lifelike experiences.  Dassault Systèmes is listed on the Nasdaq (DASTY) and Euronext Paris (#13065, DSY.PA) stock exchanges. For more information, visit http://www.3ds.com

CATIA, DELMIA, ENOVIA, SIMULIA, SolidWorks and 3D VIA are registered trademarks of Dassault Systèmes or its subsidiaries in the US and/or other countries.