Eclipse Riding Greens Mower will be Available from Jacobsen in 2009

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Charlotte, N.C. (February 5, 2009) – Following its debut as a prototype at the 2008 Golf Industry Show and after months of field testing on golf courses around the nation, Jacobsen, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announces that the all-electric version of the Eclipse™ 322 riding greens mower will be in production in 2009. The new Eclipse 322 has been designed according to specific customer feedback and is the most advanced greens mower available for today's golf industry.

There is no better test of a mower's durability than day-to-day use, and Jacobsen put the Eclipse 322 to the test under every imaginable condition. After final field tests throughout 2008 on some of the nation's leading golf courses, Jacobsen learned that the all-electric Eclipse 322 is the quiet, economic, productive and environmentally friendly mower superintendents are looking for now.

"We are completely committed to building the machines superintendents need to stay on the leading edge of the golf industry today," said Quinn Derby, Jacobsen product manager of greens mowers. "The Eclipse 322 was designed according to detailed customer evaluations and was validated through an extensive testing program over the last four years to make sure it was exactly what golf maintenance professionals wanted."

With a simple battery-powered system, the Eclipse 322 reduces noise, maintenance needs and fuel consumption, resulting in lower cost of ownership than traditional hydraulically driven machines. The mower features electric drive systems using no hydraulic fluid, so the possibility of a potentially damaging fluid leak or spill on the turf is completely eliminated. The Eclipse 322 will also be available in gasoline and diesel hybrid versions.

Like all mowers in the Eclipse line, the 322 allows superintendents to independently control mow speed, reel speed and frequency-of-clip to adapt the mower's cutting performance to any course condition. Also, the operator station is ergonomically designed to optimize both functionality and comfort, reducing fatigue while providing an unobstructed view that makes it easy to maintain precise, straight mowing lines.

"The Eclipse 322 is easy to use, simple to maintain and is extremely eco-friendly," Derby said. "The golf community has made it clear that they are ready for the next generation of electric and hybrid technology, and the Eclipse 322 represents a new standard for the industry moving forward."

The Eclipse 322 will be available in late 2009. For more information about the Eclipse 322 or any other Jacobsen products, visit www.Jacobsen.com, contact your local Jacobsen dealer, or call 1-888-922-TURF.

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