Automotive Lease Guide and Bahr & Fess Forecasts Form Strategic Alliance To Provide Residual Values to the European Automotive Industry

AUTOMOTIVE LEASE GUIDE 2001 RESIDUAL VALUE AWARDS LOGO
Automotive Lease Guide 2001 Residual Value Awards logo. Please visit us at www.alg.com to learn more about the awards. (PRNewsFoto)[JL]
SANTA BARBARA, CA USA 07/02/2001

    SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Aug. 9 Automotive Lease Guide (ALG)
and Bahr & Fess Forecasts have formed a strategic alliance to provide residual
values and analytical services to the automotive and financial institutions of
Europe.
    (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20010702/LAM009LOGO )
    Automotive Lease Guide is the industry benchmark in North America for
vehicle residual values and maintains an extensive historical database of
residual values, vehicle pricing/equipment changes and various economic
variables.  Although ALG has been providing analytical services for more than
35 years, this is their first foray into an overseas market.  Based out of
Saarbrucken, Germany, Bahr & Fess Forecasts has been setting residual value
forecasts in the continent of Europe for numerous countries since 1999.
    "The changes in the U.S. leasing market over the past few years have been
difficult and yet have provided a tremendous amount of learning for us," said
Raj Sundaram, vice president of ALG.  "As a result, we have upgraded our
forecasting model and integrated additional external variables to increase
accuracy.  Using the solid foundation Bahr & Fess already has in place, we
feel ALG is poised to enter Europe."
    "Bringing together the recognized name and forecasting capabilities of ALG
with the home market knowledge of Bahr & Fess should be the perfect
combination to establish a significant presence in Europe," added Dieter Fess,
Managing Director of Bahr & Fess.
    The two companies will share technology, modeling techniques and
analytical processes in order to take full advantage of the efficiencies this
new alliance will create.  "The automotive industry will definitely benefit
from such a partnership," said Doug Aiken, publisher and chief executive
officer of ALG.  "Many of our clients have been asking us for some time now to
consider a move into the European market.  Presently, the timing feels right
and we believe we can provide a tremendous service to both vehicle
manufacturers and financial institutions."

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