Jay Leno Opens Up to CarTV, AutoBytel’s Car News Channel, About His Newest Love Interest - A 2005 Ford GT

Online Car News Channel Makes So. Cal. Debut With Live Review From Car Buff Jay Leno, the First Californian to Buy and Drive the Ford GT Supercar

We intend to be the automotive leaders in broadband content and take online automotive marketing and shopping to a new level -- whether that means giving a sense of what it’s like to get behind the wheel of a new sports car, or offering late-breaking car news and reviews that entertain shoppers as they are informed.

IRVINE, CA (PRWEB) September 8, 2004 –- CarTV, Autobytel’s online car news video channel, hit the ground running when it arrived from Detroit, Michigan to its new Southern California digs earlier this month, immediately landing a coveted interview with late night king and noted car buff, Jay Leno. Leno, who happens to be the first person in California to purchase and drive the new 2005 Ford GT, provided CarTV’s Christian Wardlaw with an off-the-cuff, but well-informed, owner review of the latest addition to his stable of classics. The complete interview, which catches Leno in his element as a comedian/car fanatic, is available at CarTV’s Ford 2005 GT Video.

Jay Leno, whose legendary car and motorcycle collection fills two hangar-sized garages, rates the Ford GT among his all-time favorites. “When I was a kid, this was the car I used to dream about,” Leno explained. “I still dream about it,” Leno continued, “I still think it’s the best looking shape of any sports car.”

The Jay Leno interview marked the expansion of CarTV’s web broadcasting capabilities by parent company Autobytel Inc., which includes the construction of a dedicated CarTV production studio in Irvine and a new slate of innovative car news content. CarTV content in current development includes a daily automotive news desk for consumers, comprehensive video road tests and expert reviews – all of which will be featured on Autobytel car-buying sites. As part of Autobytel’s ongoing Hispanic marketing initiatives, CarTV is also developing a menu of Spanish-language video content, including reviews and road tests, designed to provide automakers and Autobytel's numerous Hispanic auto channel portal partners with much-needed rich content for the booming U.S. Latino auto market.

“This Jay Leno interview about the Ford GT is a prime example of the kind of entertaining, out-of-the-box car news content we’re aiming for,” said Autobytel’s VP of Marketing, Michael Rosenberg. “We intend to be the automotive leaders in broadband content and take online automotive marketing and shopping to a new level -- whether that means giving a sense of what it’s like to get behind the wheel of a new sports car, or offering late-breaking car news and reviews that entertain shoppers as they are informed.” The auto industry is already the biggest user of rich media – with BMW, Volvo, Mitsubishi and Ford, for example, launching online entertainment/marketing campaigns. Rosenberg noted, however, that there still is a need for multi-brand content and platforms, where OEMs can reach consumers as they shop across brands.

About Autobytel
Autobytel, Inc.(Nasdaq: ABTL), a leading Internet automotive marketing services company, helps retailers sell cars and manufacturers build brands through marketing, advertising, data and CRM (customer relationship management) products and programs. Autobytel owns and operates the automotive websites Autobytel.com , Autoweb.com , Carsmart.com , Car.com , CarTV.com , and AutoSite.com , as well as AIC (Automotive Information Center), a trusted industry source of automotive marketing data and technology for over 20 years. Autobytel is also a leader in dealership lead management and CRM solutions and owns and operates AVV, Inc., a top provider of dealership CRM and sales management products, and Retention Performance Marketing, Inc., (RPM®), which powers dealerships with cutting-edge customer loyalty and retention marketing programs. As the Internet's largest new car buying service, Autobytel generates over a billion dollars a month in car sales for dealers through its services and was the most visited new car buying and research destination in 2003, reaching millions of car shoppers as they made their vehicle buying decisions. Autobytel's car-selling sites and lead management products are used by more of the nation's top-100 e-dealers than any other program.

Media Relations
Melanie Webber, Autobytel Inc., 949.862.3023 (melaniew@autobytel.com )
Betsy Smith Isroelit, RBI Communications, 323.960.1360 x17 (betsy@rbicom.com )
Joe Foster, RBI Communications, 323.960.1360 x13 (joe@rbicom.com )

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