Fort Lauderdale, FL  — AutoUSA, the industry’s leading provider of the highest quality Internet-generated consumer leads to auto dealers nationwide, today announced that its Edmunds.com Premier Dealer Program is now available to General Motors (GM) auto retailers. The program provides dealers with exclusive lead territories, top placement in Edmunds’ Dealer Locator, and over 100 dealer-branded advertisements throughout Edmunds.com driving the highest quality trackable phone calls, leads, branding and traffic to the dealer website.

“Edmunds.com’s Premier Dealer Program is an outstanding Internet branding program and a great way for GM dealers to generate high quality Web traffic and leads,” said Phil DuPree, president of AutoUSA. “I can’t think of a better opportunity for dealers who want to increase their online sales.”

I can’t think of a better opportunity for dealers who want to increase their online sales.
Edmunds.com is one of the leading online resources for automotive information. Millions of consumers visit the site each month to shop for a vehicle. The Premier Dealer Program helps dealers more effectively reach auto buyers by prominently displaying the dealer’s brand throughout the portal, insuring the dealership receives top listing in searches and providing exclusive lead territories.

AutoUSA first launched the Edmunds.com Premier Dealer Program for non-GM dealer clients in 2006. Several months later, AutoUSA confirmed that there was a significant increase in lead quality and closing ratios amongst program participants. Dealers attributed the program’s overwhelming success to territory exclusivity and the portal’s popularity as a trusted source for vehicle reports, research, articles and comparisons.

GM dealers who sign up for the Edmunds.com Premier Dealer Program can take advantage of several marketing and branding opportunities that guarantee maximum exposure to targeted auto consumers, including:

Territory Exclusivity — One dealer per make per area. The territory assignments remain in place unless given up by the dealer.

Top Dealer Locator Placement — Guaranteed top placement in Edmunds.com’s Dealer Locator — even if there’s a competing dealer that’s closer. Once a dealer owns the top spot, it’s theirs exclusively. Includes a dealer endorsement by Edmunds.com.

Branded Advertisements — Over 100 branded advertisements throughout Edmunds.com on new and used car pages. Advertisements include an Edmunds Premier Dealer logo, trackable dealer phone number, two links to to the dealer’s Web site and a link to the dealer’s own Premier Dealer Web page

Premier Dealer Web page — An Edmunds.com-hosted dealer Web page that includes dealer logo, contact information, trackable dealer phone number, two links to dealer’s Web site, Edmunds message endorsing the dealer, lead form, map and driving directions.

“Edmunds has done a great job with this program. It’s one of the most cost-effective ways for a dealer to extend their online presence to purchase-ready auto consumers,” said DuPree.

About AutoUSA (www.AutoUSA.com)
AutoUSA, Inc., is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and a subsidiary of AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE: AN), the largest retail automotive company in the United States. AutoUSA is an independent third-party provider of leads to more than 4,000 dealerships. The company has built its success on a combination of advanced web-based technology and a network that includes the country’s most well respected online automotive resources, including Edmunds.com, Kelley Blue Book, MSN Autos, Yahoo! Autos, America Online, NADA Analytical Services Group, AutoVantage.com, AutoNation.com and AutoUSA.com. The vast majority of Ward’s Top 100 eDealers use AutoUSA. More information is available online at http://www.AutoUSA.com

AutoUSA, the industry’s leading provider of the highest quality Internet-generated consumer leads to auto dealers nationwide, today reported a 273 percent increase in Toyota Prius consumer leads from May 2008 year-to-date. AutoUSA’s Prius leads have been steadily growing over the past three years, more than doubling from May 2006 to 2007 in addition to the significant spike over the past six months.

“With gas prices continuing to go up, more in-market auto buyers are looking for hybrids and green vehicles,” said Phil DuPree, president of AutoUSA. “What we’re seeing with the Prius is indicative of the changing buying habits of consumers and new market demands.”

The Prius is the first mass-produced hybrid vehicle. It was initially sold in Japan in 1997, and marketed internationally starting in 2001. In May 2008, despite consumer interest, Toyota reported a 40 percent drop in Prius sales. The company attributed the decline to a shortage of batteries that is likely to resolve in January 2009.

“The situation with Prius is frustrating. It’s both a good and bad problem,” said Mike Martini, sales manager at Burnsville Toyota in Minnesota. “Our closing ratio is being impacted, but we’re increasing the number of pre-orders.”

Burnsville Toyota is one of the largest Prius dealers in the state. According to Martini, the dealership is averaging three to five Prius pre-orders a day on both Internet and walk-in customers, with a six to eight month wait on delivery.

“We’re taking pre-orders, but we’re also trying to educate potential Prius buyers on the different options available, such as the Corolla and Camry. Sometimes they don’t really need to buy a hybrid because another energy-efficient vehicle will meet their needs,” said Martini.

One key piece of information helping environmental and gas-conscious consumers in their vehicle purchasing decision is Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). “Successful dealers are finding that once buyers understand TCO, many more vehicles become an option,” said DuPree.

AutoUSA provides leads to more than 4,000 dealers nationwide from a partnership network that includes leading automotive web sites including Edmunds.com, Kelley Blue Book, MSN Auto, Yahoo! Autos, AOL and AutoVantage.

About AutoUSA ( www.AutoUSA.com ):
AutoUSA, Inc., is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and a subsidiary of AutoNation, Inc. (NYSE: AN), the largest retail automotive company in the United States. AutoUSA is an independent third-party provider of leads to more than 4,000 dealerships. The company has built its success on a combination of advanced web-based technology and a network that includes the country’s most well respected online automotive resources, including Edmunds.com, Kelley Blue Book, MSN Autos, Yahoo! Autos, America Online, NADA Analytical Services Group, AutoVantage.com, AutoNation.com and AutoUSA.com. The vast majority of Ward’s Top 100 eDealers use AutoUSA.