Franklin Capital Corporation Now a Live Finance Source On RouteOne's Credit Application Management System

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., July 18 -- RouteOne LLC announced today that Salt Lake City, Utah-based Franklin Capital Corporation has agreed to participate on the joint venture's credit application management system. RouteOne's web-based system, free to dealers, was formed in 2002 by DaimlerChrysler Services, Ford Motor Credit Company, General Motors Acceptance Corporation, and Toyota Financial Services to streamline the F&I process for dealerships. RouteOne's innovative system helps simplify vehicle financing by reducing the need for the multiple systems and processes used by many dealers today.

A subsidiary of Franklin Resources Inc., Franklin Capital Corporation, FCC, originates and services direct and indirect loans for itself and its sister company Franklin Templeton Bank and Trust, F.S.B. Eight different loan programs are offered, allowing Franklin Capital Corporation to serve the needs of prime, non-prime and sub-prime customers throughout the United States.

"Our partnering with Route One will help to advance our ongoing quest of providing our customers with the best service levels possible," said Harold Miller, FCC president.

"Franklin Capital is a welcome addition to our system, and their dedication to serving all aspects of the market will meet the needs of our 18,000 enrolled dealerships," said RouteOne CEO Mike Jurecki. "Their wide array of financing services will certainly appeal to our dealer customers, allowing us to serve them more efficiently."

About RouteOne

RouteOne was formed in 2002 to create a more streamlined credit application process for automobile dealers and their customers. Jointly owned by DaimlerChrysler Services, Ford Motor Credit Company, General Motors Acceptance Corporation, and Toyota Financial Services, RouteOne also provides a single point of access for dealer credit applications to some of the largest auto lenders and banks in North America. RouteOne offers dealers a common platform for submitting credit application information to the multiple finance sources with which they do business. Automotive dealers and their finance sources can exchange credit application and credit decisions in near real-time using RouteOne's web-based network. More information is available at http://www.routeone.com/ .

About Franklin Capital Corporation

Franklin Capital Corporation is a subsidiary of Franklin Resources Inc.; formed to expand automotive and consumer-lending activities related primarily to the purchase, securitization and servicing of retail installment sales contracts originated by retailers and automobile dealerships. Please visit the company's web site at http://www.franklincapitalcorporation.com/