Tinseltown and Motown Teens Weigh in on Auto Show Concept Cars; Autobytel Student Poll Shows Elusive Gen Y-ers Agree on Hottest Vehicles; Cadillac XLR Proves Overwhelming Favorite

    IRVINE, Calif.--Jan. 14, 2003--Autobytel Inc., the Internet's largest new car-buying service and popular automotive research center, recently asked tomorrow's drivers -- high school students from Los Angeles (the capital of the car culture) and Detroit (the time-honored Motor City) -- to voice their opinions of the hot new concept cars featured at this week's Detroit Auto Show. Despite a 2284 mile distance between the two cities, 50 percent of teens from both Hollywood High School and Detroit City High picked the Cadillac XLR as their "dream car," easily surpassing their number two choice, the Pontiac GTO, which was selected by 12% of respondents.
    The Hollywood High and Detroit City High students were asked to respond to photos and descriptions of the Cadillac XLR, GM Autonomy, Ford GT, Ford MA, Honda FCX, Pontiac GTO and Toyota's Scion bbx. While many of the resulting impressions are expressed in language that is not usually used in Detroit's boardrooms -- the word "tight," for example, is used to describe the popular Cadillac XLR and the term "phat" to describe the new Honda FCX -- Autobytel's unofficial study provides a candid snapshot of notoriously fickle youth tastes and preferences, many of which fly in the face of conventional wisdom. The teen's favorite concept, the Cadillac XLR, beat youth-focused offerings like the Scion bbx, which won the hearts of only 11% of the students who were surveyed.
    The teens were also asked which public figure would, in their opinion, most likely drive each concept car. While teens agreed on their dream car, they often expressed differing opinions about which celebrity would pilot a particular vehicle. For example, Hollywood High students believed George W. Bush would be a likely driver of the Ford MA while Detroit City High students selected film star Pierce Brosnan. However, teen diva Britney Spears was placed in the fuel cell-powered Honda FCX by students in both high schools, and Bush was also the figure most associated with the Scion, which has been heavily marketed to younger drivers.
    "Our informal research offers some evidence that, at least from a style standpoint, Cadillac has been able to decode Gen Y sensibilities," said Autobytel President and CEO Jeffrey Schwartz. "We hope the auto makers enjoy this honest feedback from tomorrow's car buyers -- today's teens."
    Known for its respected Performing Arts program, Hollywood High School is home to over two thousand students and is located in the heart of the entertainment capital of the world, Hollywood, CA. Detroit City High, known for winning the state basketball championship in 2000, serves two hundred and eighty-five students, and its main campus is located in the heart of Motown.
    Results from Autobytel's Teen Auto Show survey were calculated from over 75 survey questionnaires sent to senior classes in Detroit and Hollywood.
    For more results, log onto Autobytel.com's research section or go directly to the following link: http://www.autobytel.com/content/research/index.cfm?id=4&action= ShowArticle&aid=138402

    About Autobytel Inc.

    Autobytel Inc., a leading Internet automotive marketing services company, helps retailers sell cars and manufacturers build brands through marketing and CRM (customer relationship management) programs. Autobytel Inc. owns and operates the popular websites Autobytel.com, Autoweb.com, Carsmart.com and AutoSite.com, as well as AIC (Automotive Information Center), a leading provider of automotive marketing data and technology. Autobytel Inc. generated an estimated four percent of all domestic new vehicle sales -- $17 billion in car sales in 2001 -- for dealers through its services. Autobytel Inc. is the largest syndicated car-buying content network, reaching millions of unique visitors as they are making their vehicle buying decisions.