2007 Detroit Auto Show: Sir Jackie Stewart Makes a Pit Stop at Charity Preview

Guests to compete for charities in interactive F1 simulator

DETROIT, Jan. 5 -- Charter One Bank will help celebrate the opening of the 100th North American International Auto Show by showcasing The Royal Bank of Scotland Group's ("RBS") F1 simulator during press week from January 7 to 12, 2007 at Cobo Center. The RBS F1 simulator is a replica of the BMW WilliamsF1 Team Grand Prix car. Charter One's corporate parent RBS is a major sponsor of the BMW WilliamsF1 Team.

The RBS F1 simulator is an interactive display that will allow those attending press and preview week to test their driving skills against the world's best drivers, including three-time Formula One World Champion Sir Jackie Stewart OBE. Stewart is the RBS ambassador for F1.

The RBS F1 simulator will also be featured during the Charity Preview, the annual black-tie fundraising gala held on Friday, January 12, the night before the North American International Auto Show opens to the public. Charity Preview attendees will be offered an opportunity to take the Charter One Challenge by testing their driving skills in the RBS F1 simulator. The driver who posts the fastest time of the evening will be allocated $10,000 from the Charter One Foundation to donate to one of the 11 Detroit-area children's charities supported by this event.

"Charter One is excited to help celebrate the 100th year of the North American International Auto Show by bringing Sir Jackie Stewart - one of the most respected and influential figures in the world of motorsport - back to Detroit," said Sandy Pierce, President and CEO of Charter One Bank, Michigan. "The RBS F1 simulator is a unique and interactive experience that will add to the thrill of what has become the single-largest economic impact event in the region."

The RBS F1 simulator will be positioned in the main concourse of Cobo Center in Wayne Hall, outside The Vu restaurant and lounge.

About Charter One Bank, N.A.

Charter One Bank, N.A., is a $46 billion bank operating in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio. It has 474 branches and more than 800 ATMs. It has 120 branches and 135 ATMs in Michigan. Charter One is a subsidiary of Citizens Financial Group, Inc., a $164 billion commercial bank holding company headquartered in Providence, R.I. Citizens has more than 1,600 branches, approximately 3,200 ATMs and 26,000 employees in a 13-state retail branch network and has non-branch retail and commercial offices in about 40 states. Citizens is the eighth-largest commercial banking company in the United States ranked by deposits and ninth in assets as of March 31, 2006. Citizens is owned by RBS (The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc). The Charter One Web site is charterone.com.

About the Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc

The Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) is one of the world's leading financial services companies providing a range of retail and corporate banking, financial markets, consumer finance, insurance, wealth management and other finance-related activities. RBS is the second-largest bank in the UK, third-largest in Europe and eighth-largest in the world. Its assets totaled more than $1.5 trillion as of June 30, 2006. RBS has more than 2,200 branches in the UK and 135,800 full-time equivalent employees worldwide. For further information, please visit the www.rbs.com.