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Life cycle design (LCD) is a framework for designing product systems which are both economically and ecologically sustainable. Key elements of this framework are systems analysis, multicriteria analysis and multistakeholder participation. This paper illustrates the application of life cycle design for a comparative evaluation of a prototype sand-cast 2.0 l aluminum manifold for the 1995 Ford Contour and a 2.0 l equivalent of the 1.9 l multi-tube brazed aluminum manifold for the 1995 Ford Escort. A life cycle inventory analysis was performed for the intake manifolds by evaluating the energy and wastes in the raw material acquisition, material processing, manufacturing, use and retirement stages. The environmental data for the two manifolds were integrated with life cycle cost and performance data to enhance product design and decision making.