Autobytel #1 in Providing Tools and Services for Top 100 eDealers in U.S.

According to Ward's Dealer Business Magazine, Autobytel's Web Sites and Customer Management Tool, Web Control, Are Used by More Top e-Dealers in America Than Any Other Program

IRVINE, Calif., April 28 -- Leading Internet automotive marketing services company Autobytel Inc. was ranked at the top of the prestigious Ward's Dealer Business e-Dealer 100 report for both its customer generation services and its customer management program, outpacing its independent, third-party competitors by significant margins. The recently published 2003 e-Dealer 100 report ranks the Top-100 most successful Internet dealers and dealer groups in America based on sales transactions generated online by dealerships. It also analyzes the tools, strategies and best practices utilized by the e-Dealer elite.

According to the report, 90% of the e-Dealer 100 used Autobytel's web sites to generate sales in 2003, placing Autobytel in the number one ranking. This marks the third consecutive year that Autobytel has achieved a top ranking in the e-Dealer 100 report. The company was utilized by 76 of the e-Dealer 100 in 2002.

In addition, for the second year in a row, Autobytel's Web Control(R) ranked as the #1 independent customer management tool, utilized by more e-100 dealers than its next four closest competitors combined in 2003.

"To emerge as the clear leader among the most knowledgeable and successful automotive sales professionals is a truly meaningful validation for our company," said Autobytel President and CEO Jeffrey Schwartz. "These are some of the toughest, sharpest entrepreneurs in the world. The fact that that they are investing their marketing dollars with Autobytel is the ultimate endorsement of our real-world value and ROI."

Autobytel generates over a billion dollars each month for the nation's auto dealers, and anticipates that approximately 10% of all new car buyers will submit a Purchase Request through Autobytel in 2005, representing an estimated $46 billion in gross market sales for dealers. Autobytel currently has approximately 24,000 enterprise and retail dealer relationships nationwide.

Ward's Dealer Business is a leading automotive industry publication offering insight on products and technology, new vehicle previews and late-breaking industry news. The e-Dealer 100 is published annually.

About Autobytel Inc.

Autobytel Inc. , a leading Internet automotive marketing services company, helps retailers sell cars and manufacturers build brands through marketing, advertising, data and CRM (customer relationship management) tools and programs. The Company owns and operates the automotive Web sites Autobytel.com, Autoweb.com, Carsmart.com, Car.com and AutoSite.com, as well as AIC (Automotive Information Center), a trusted industry source of automotive marketing data and technology for over 20 years. Autobytel is also a leader in dealership lead management and CRM solutions and owns and operates AVV, Inc., a top provider of dealership CRM and sales management tools, and Real Performance Marketing, Inc., (RPM), which powers dealerships with cutting-edge customer loyalty and retention marketing programs. As the Internet's largest new car buying service, Autobytel generates over a billion dollars a month in car sales for dealers through its services and was the most visited new car buying and research destination in 2003, reaching millions of car shoppers as they made their vehicle buying decisions. Autobytel's car-selling sites and lead management tools are used by more of the nation's top-100 e-dealers than any other program.