ADVISORY/Experts Available To Comment on Auto Sales Trends

    --March 26, 2002--

TOPIC:	Auto sales seem to be on pace to top annual sales estimates by 1 million vehicles, thanks to continuing incentives and improving economic news. According to a story by USAToday, March sales are projected to be at an annualized rate of between 16.5 million and 17 million, a report by J.D. Power and Associates said. That caused the research firm to raise its full-year projection to 16.4 million, the story said. At the start of the year, some Wall Street analysts and automakers had predicted sales as low as 15.5 million.
EXPERTS:	ExpertSource can offer several highly qualified experts to comment on this story:

Rik Paul is Automotive Editor of Consumer Reports where he's responsible for automotive editorial content in Consumer Reports' monthly issues, as well as special publications-such as New Car Preview, SUV Special, and buying guide. In addition, he manages the web site, Consumer Reports Online. PR: Douglas Love 914/378-2437; lovedo@consumer.org

    Sid DeBoer is considered to be one of the true visionaries and leaders in the rapidly changing auto retailing industry. He has been in the automotive retailing business for more than 30 years where he learned the business from the ground up. Lithia Motors started as a small Dodge dealership established in Southern Oregon in 1946. In 1999 Lithia Motors had over $1 billion in revenues. Sid DeBoer and Lithia's management team are known as the "operators" in the industry with a proven operating model that has allowed the company to maintain the highest margins in the publicly traded sector. PR: Dan Retzlaff 541/776-8619; dretzlaff@Lithia.com

    Prof. John Mathews is an economist at the University of Wisconsin. His expertise includes automobile dealer issues and market analysis. 608/262-7746


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