autobytel.com inc. Announces Chief Financial Officer; Hoshi Printer Named CFO

    IRVINE, Calif., April 19 autobytel.com inc.
today announced the appointment of Hoshi Printer as Executive Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer.  Printer served as Autobytel.com's Chief
Financial Officer from January 1999 to June 2000.  Amit Kothari,
Autobytel.com's Interim CFO, will resume his position as Vice President,
Corporate Controller for the company.
    "I am very pleased to announce Hoshi's return.  This quarter alone we have
launched a pilot with General Motors, signed an agreement to acquire Autoweb
-- which is projected to make us a $100 million a year revenue company -- and
reiterated our Q3 profitability targets," said Mark Lorimer, President and CEO
of autobytel.com inc.  "Hoshi's extensive background in finance, his
understanding of the complexities of the automotive industry, and his
experience as CFO of several high profile technology companies, including
Autobytel.com, will serve us well as we continue to grow and diversify, both
globally and domestically.
    "Moreover, as we approach our profitability goal," continued Lorimer, "we
are especially pleased that our financial team will continue to benefit from
Amit's expertise, not only in the very crucial role of Corporate Controller,
but also in the area of strategic financial development."
    Printer, who has over 35 years of experience in financial management, has
served as CFO of BestOffer.com, a San Francisco-based online used car company,
and of Peerless Systems Corporation, a leader in embedded imaging systems.
    "I have watched Autobytel.com grow by leaps and bounds over the past year
and I am deeply impressed by the company's continued leadership, its very
strong management team, its laser focus on profitability and, most
significantly, its compelling vision for the future of global online
automotive commerce," said Printer. "I am very happy to rejoin the company as
part of the team moving the company towards what I believe to be a very
exciting and financially solid future."
    Printer has also held the CFO post at a number of other high-tech
companies, including Neuron Data, developers of high-end, enterprise-wide
client-server, object and web oriented tools; Soane Technologies, Inc., an
ophthalmics and bioscience business based on polymer chemistry; and
Catalytica, Inc., developers of environmental technology.  Printer began his
career at Xerox Corporation where he spent 17 years, the last six as Vice
President, Finance.

    About autobytel.com inc.
    autobytel.com inc. , the global leader in online automotive
commerce, brings car buyers, owners, and sellers together in a trusted
environment, empowered by the Internet.  Through its extensive automotive
content and multiple purchasing, financing, insurance and service options,
Autobytel offers consumers choice and peace of mind throughout the automotive
lifecycle, while providing its network of accredited dealers and automotive
services partners the most efficient way to reach online car buyers and
owners.  Autobytel and its wholly-owned subsidiary, A.I.N. Corporation
(Carsmart), have a network of dealers nationwide and are the seventh largest
generator of automotive sales in the United States, just behind GM, Ford,
DaimlerChrysler, Toyota, Honda and Nissan.  Autobytel has been ranked #1 in
Dealer Satisfaction with Online Buying Services for three years in a row by
J.D. Power and Associates.(1)  Autobytel's low-cost, no-haggle car-buying
program is available in the U.S., Canada (http://www.autobytel.ca), the United
Kingdom (http://www.autobytel.co.uk), Sweden (http://www.autobytel.se), Netherlands
(http://www.autobytel.nl), Japan (http://www.autobytel-japan.com), Australia
(http://www.autobytel.com.au) and Spain (http://www.autobytel.es).  Headquartered in Irvine,
California, Autobytel is recognized as the company that transformed the
$1 trillion new car industry when it invented online car buying.

    (1) J.D. Power and Associates 1998 - 2000 Dealer Satisfaction With Online
Buying Services Studies(SM).  2000 study conducted among dealership Internet
specialists who completed 2,144 evaluations of individual services.
http://www.jdpower.com.

    The statements contained in this press release that are not historical
facts are forward-looking statements under the federal securities laws.  These
forward-looking statements, including statements about projected revenues, are
not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties
and assumptions that are difficult to predict.  Actual outcomes and results
may differ materially from what is expressed in, or implied by, such
forward-looking statements.  Autobytel undertakes no obligation to update
publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise.  Among the important factors that
could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in, or
implied by, the forward-looking statements are changes in general economic
conditions, increased or unexpected competition, the failure to realize
anticipated synergies related to the proposed merger with Autoweb, failure to
obtain required stockholder or regulatory approvals or the merger not closing
for any other reason, failure of the combined company to retain and hire key
employees, difficulties in successfully integrating the parties' businesses
and technologies and other matters disclosed in Autobytel's filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.  Investors are strongly encouraged to
review our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2000,
and other reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a
discussion of risks and uncertainties that could affect operating results and
the market price of our stock.