Go Ahead, Kick the Tires From Your Desk; CARandDRIVER.com and ROADandTRACK.com's 'Virtual Test Drive' Brings the Car Showroom Right to a Buyer's Home or Office

NEW YORK, Jan. 9, 2007 -- Imagine shopping for your next car, taking a shiny, new model for a test drive, having knowledgeable experts show you the features and get a price quote -- all at your own pace -- and without having to move an inch. CARandDRIVER.com and ROADandTRACK.com's "Virtual Test Drive" (www.CarandDriver.com/vtd and www.RoadandTrack.com/vtd ) now brings all the fun of visiting a new car dealership -- without the hassles. Through these automotive manufacturer-sponsored presentations, car-buyers can go online, thoroughly examine their new models and virtually test-drive them along with independent expert commentary and reviews from the magazines' editors, as well as from manufacturers' engineers.

"'Virtual Test Drive' is a pioneering venture from CAR and DRIVER and ROAD & TRACK which provides automotive manufacturers a creative way to present their new models," says Nick Matarazzo, EVP, Group Publishing Director, Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S, publishers of the automotive brands. "The program took us over a year to develop."

Consumers can join famed automotive expert race car driver Tommy Kendall for a virtual one-on-one road test as he takes the vehicle for a drive on a winding country road. Kendall provides running commentary and on-the-spot impressions while the consumer chooses from four vantage points: the driver's seat, the passenger seat, the exterior side and over the hood.

You can virtually walk around the car in any direction with features that spin the car so it can be viewed from any angle from both the exterior and interior. The vehicle's features can be examined by clicking a "feature spotlight" to access detailed and colorful animated footage, as well as excerpts from CARandDRIVER.com and ROADandTRACK.com editorial reviews which highlight and comment on specific features. The Chevrolet Silverado and the Ford Edge are the first models to be showcased in this sponsored content; and Chevrolet's Cobalt will follow in late February.

"The vehicles are digitally showcased along with expert editorial reviews and factual statistics drawn from the independent reviews of our well-respected magazine editors. This is an enjoyable new way for consumers to gather credible information to make informed purchases," explains Rob Houghtlin, CAR and DRIVER, VP/Publisher.

From details on the frame construction to the interior of the glove compartment, each vehicle can be thoroughly examined and explored. For example, a click on a "spotlight" on the hood of the new Chevrolet Silverado pops it open to slowly bring the viewer in for a closer look at the variable cylinder engine in action. As the demonstration begins, a quote from one of the magazine's featured editors is displayed and read.

Additional features include access to full reviews and articles from CAR and DRIVER and ROAD & TRACK magazines. To take the process one step further, consumers can request a price quote; locate a dealer; view dealers' inventories; find all vehicles within 100 miles of an area that match the selected model and trim and view window stickers of actual vehicles.

CAR and DRIVER and ROAD & TRACK are published by Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. (hfmus.com). With a total audience of nearly 10 million in the U.S., CAR and DRIVER magazine is the world's largest, most comprehensive automotive enthusiast publication. ROAD & TRACK is America's original car enthusiast publication, with a 60-year track record of providing its audience with the finest road tests of new cars.

NOTE TO EDITORS: For Interviews and Jpeg Images, Contact: Jade Dressler Communications, +1-212-427-9331, news@jadedressler.com