America Online Puts Automotive Programming in High Gear with New ``He Drives It/She Drives It'' Reviews
DULLES, Va.--Nov. 21, 2002--New Feature Offers Sneak Peek and Practical Reviews of Today's
Hottest Cars from the Male and Female Perspective
He Drives It/She Drives It to Review Honda Element - One Month
Before It Hits Showrooms
America Online, the world's leading interactive services company, has put the pedal to the metal with a new series of car reviews, "He Drives It/She Drives It," designed to give AOL members special access to down-to-earth reviews of today's most-anticipated and popular cars. Jamie Mottram and Carmen Shirkey, editors from AOL's Autos Channel, offer distinct male and female perspectives as they put the hottest cars to the test and provide commentary and opinions on the real issues that buyers need to know before they drive off the lot.
Through He Drives It/She Drives It, car buyers will get a sneak peak at the pros and cons of each vehicle, often well before it hits the showroom floor. Following the momentum of the launch of AOL 8.0, He Drives It/She Drives It reflects AOL's commitment to offering members exclusive programming based on the topics that are most relevant to them. The program will cover a new vehicle monthly, with all reviews available at AOL Keyword: He Drives It/She Drives It.
"Through He Drives It/She Drives It, car buyers can get an unbiased perspective on new cars from both the male and female points of view while discovering some of the unique aspects these vehicles offer," said Kent Scholla, Executive Director and General Manager of AOL Autos. "He Drives It/She Drives It is really about what it's like for an everyday person to drive the car to work, to the mall, on a long trip or on a date. It gives car buyers insight they will never find at the dealership or in most car reviews."
Jamie and Carmen break each review down into five segments: Handling and Horsepower, Size Matters, Practicality, Awes and Flaws, and Interior Design. In advance of the test drives, AOL members can post questions based on these categories, and Jamie and Carmen will post their answers as part of the review. Members can access a test drive photo gallery with He Drives It/She Drives It commentary as well as the full-length reviews written by Jamie and Carmen. They can also vote if they would buy the featured car and help choose the next vehicle to review.
"When Jamie and I look at a car, it's clear we see two different things," said Carmen Shirkey. "What fits me may not fit him. What he thinks is 'cool', I may find useless. We put the cars through 'real-life' scenarios and test whether the manufacturers meet their design goals for both men and women. It is fun to see how differently we may view each car we're driving."
"We drive each car for a week or more, which gives us the proper perspective on what it would be like to actually own the car," said Jamie Mottram. "It also allows us to figure out the important things about a car -- if it's a manly vehicle, if it attracts stares from the opposite sex -- which are just as important as gas mileage."
This week, He Drives It/She Drives It features a review of the new 2003 Honda Element, the all-new and highly anticipated SUV that goes on sale on December 19. Jamie and Carmen have spent several days testing the 2003 Element on major highways, city and rural streets, in parking lots and traffic jams. While driving the Element, they had AOL member questions in mind, which they incorporated into the review.
The 2003 Honda Element
The Honda Element combines the best features of a pickup truck, SUV and van. Innovative offerings include center opening side "suicide doors", a flat floor with dirt and water-resistant urethane coating, and highly versatile seating that can be folded flat, to the sides, or removed entirely. Element will be available in DX and EX trim levels with either front-wheel drive or Real Time 4WD. Both models will be available with a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission.
About America Online
America Online, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of AOL Time Warner Inc. Based in Dulles, Virginia, America Online is the world's leader in interactive services, Web brands, Internet technologies and e-commerce services.