The Cobalt Group Introduces Comprehensive Spanish-Language Website Solution

LAS VEGAS--Feb. 1, 2004--

Cobalt Helps Dealers Reach the Fastest Growing Segment of Internet Users by Launching the Automotive Industry's Most Complete Spanish-Language Website Program

The Cobalt Group, the leading provider of customer relationship management and e-business software and services to the automotive retail market, today announced the launch of the Nitra-based Spanish Dealer Website program to help dealers develop stronger relationships with Spanish-speaking customers, the fastest growing segment of Internet users in the United States.

"Recent studies show that the vast majority of Hispanic Internet users would prefer to shop for a vehicle online in Spanish," said Mike Martinez, vice president of sales and marketing of The Cobalt Group. "By providing information about their products and services in Spanish, dealerships can reach out to their local Hispanic community, attracting new customers and developing stronger brand loyalty."

Cobalt goes beyond simply providing a Spanish version of a dealer's current website by offering the most comprehensive localized online retailing program available today, including:

-- Professionally written default Spanish content

-- Optimization for Spanish search engine traffic

-- Spanish-themed designs and dealership branding

-- Multimedia content and photos that represent the Hispanic market

-- Automatic translation of inventory data and vehicle options

-- Upfront translation of current website content by professional linguists

-- Ongoing translation services through Cobalt's eCare

Cobalt's Spanish Dealer Website program helps dealers get to market quickly and better attract Spanish-speaking customers. The solution requires no initial setup from dealer users and it features professionally written marketing content, search engine keywords, interactive driving directions, email forms, and inventory data. As a result, dealers can begin attracting Spanish-speaking customers immediately. Customers are better able to find the dealership's website in Spanish search engines and, once they view the site, they will understand the dealership is serious about doing business with them.

Cobalt recognizes that many dealerships want to reach out to the Hispanic community with their online retailing, but are reluctant to begin because they do not have staff to translate English content to Spanish. Cobalt's Spanish Dealer Website program solves this problem by offering website content translation services that help dealers seamlessly integrate their online Spanish marketing with their current processes.

Cobalt can complete an upfront translation of a dealer's English website, including support for translation into different dialects. The Spanish Dealer Website program offers ongoing translation services to allow dealers to manage the Spanish website marketing content even without Spanish-speaking staff in the dealership to do this work. Internet managers can send English website content changes to Cobalt's eCare support staff and Cobalt will manage the translation of the content to professionally written Spanish and update the dealer's website.

Cobalt also helps dealers better target their brand towards the Hispanic community. Dealers using the Spanish Dealer Website program can customize their dealer website with hundreds of design, color, and page layout combinations, including a suite of design options to help dealers distinguish their marketing and welcome the Hispanic community to their business. Offerings include a variety of Spanish-themed designs and dozens of Hispanic-themed photos and graphics. Dealers can also add an optional Flash Package to incorporate Spanish language multimedia content to their website designs.

The Spanish Dealer Website program is built on Cobalt's Nitra platform, the automotive industry's leading e-business platform, endorsed by 12 OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) and used daily by more than 5,000 dealerships. Cobalt Nitra provides dealers with round-the-clock access to tools for easily managing and updating their online dealership and a comprehensive, simple-to-use library of rich marketing content to consistently update and customize their online retailing program from any Internet-enabled PC. To sign up or get more information about Cobalt's Spanish Dealer Website program, contact Cobalt at 866-439-2258, visit www.spanishnitra.com, or e-mail sales@cobaltgroup.com.

About The Cobalt Group

The Cobalt Group (www.cobaltgroup.com) works exclusively in the automotive retail market developing integrated e-business programs that help manufacturers and dealers increase their profits and operational efficiencies. Cobalt offers a broad range of products and services, including enterprise software; customer relationship management (CRM) applications; e-commerce applications; the industry's largest OEM parts locating and marketing service; and e-business best practices training and consultation. Cobalt's network includes 12,000 franchised dealers and more than 70 of the 100 largest dealer groups. Cobalt is the only software technology provider ever endorsed by 18 manufacturers and the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA).