Ward's Dealer Business Unveils 2001 E-Dealer 100 Top Online Automobile Vendors

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., April --Ward's Dealer Business, the leading source of information for automotive dealer executives, today announced its second annual feature recognizing the top 100 US e-dealers, who accounted for more than 80,000 online vehicle sales in 2001. The 2001 e-dealers sold almost 20,000 more vehicles online than in 2000, according to Ward's Dealer Business.

The in-depth feature of the 2001 Internet auto sales and analysis of the industry's impact of online sales are available in the April issue of Ward's Dealer Business, a publication of PRIMEDIA's Ward's Communications, the world's leading provider of auto industry information. This year's top ten e-dealers include:

     1.      Dave Smith Motors, Kellogg, ID - Total e-Units Sold: 4,384
     2.      Anderson Honda, Palo Alto, CA - Total e-Units Sold: 2,140
     3.      Turnersville Auto Complex, Turnersville, NJ - Total e-Units
             Sold: 2,104
     4.      Jim Koons - Tyson's Toyota, Vienna, VA - Total e-Units
             Sold: 1,881
     5.      Burt Toyota, Englewood, CO - Total e-Units Sold: 1,650
     6.      Conicelli Autoplex, Conshohocken, PA - Total e-Units Sold: 1,419
     7.      Gillman Houston Southwest, Houston, TX - Total e-Units
             Sold: 1,395
     8.      Champion Toyota, Austin, TX - Total e-Units Sold: 1,354
     9.      Hudson Toyota, Jersey City, NJ - Total e-Units Sold: 1,348
     10.     Capital Ford, Raleigh, NC - Total e-Units Sold: 1,344

In addition to compiling a list of the top 100 e-dealers of 2001, Ward's Dealer Business' April feature breaks down trends and transactions by a number of variables, including dealer groups by Internet transactions and number of e-dealers per state. There are 23 states with at least one e-dealership and states that top the list by total number of e-dealerships are:

     1.      Texas - 18 e-dealerships
     2.      Florida - 14 e-dealerships
     3.      California - 13 e-dealerships
     4.      Colorado - 6 e-dealerships
     5.      Arizona - 6 e-dealerships
     6.      Georgia - 6 e-dealerships

``The Ward's e-dealer 100 feature provides a deeper look at the trends of online vehicle sales as more dealers are getting Internet savvy and putting their Internet plans into effect,'' said Steve Finlay, editor of PRIMEDIA's Ward's Dealer Business. ``Although overall Internet auto sales rose from last year, there are a number of factors that affect these 2001 numbers, including the impact of September 11th on auto sales and the increased amount of dealers using the Internet to vie for market share.''

The April issue of PRIMEDIA's Ward's Dealer Business is available April 10th and more information on the Ward's e-dealer 100 feature can be found on http://www.wardsauto.com /

About Ward's Communications

A world leader in automotive information, Ward's Communications, a PRIMEDIA company, has covered the auto industry for more than 75 years. With a variety of information products ranging from monthly magazines (the widely read Ward's Auto World and Ward's Dealer Business) to weekly and twice-monthly newsletters (Ward's Automotive Reports, Ward's Engine and Vehicle Technology Update), as well as database products and the continually updated website, WardsAuto.com, Ward's Communications is widely regarded as the source for global auto industry news and analysis.