Press Release

Auto Magazine Highlights 1997 Vehicles from Big Three

09/16/96

October AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE Spotlights Big Three's 1997 New Cars

NEW YORK, Sept. 12 -- AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE today issued
the following:

Trucks, quality minivans and family sedans appear to be the buzzwords
for Detroit's Big Three as the 1997 offerings begin to roll off the
assembly line.

As documented in the October issue of AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE, Ford and
trucks, Chrysler and quality, and General Motors and minivans/family
sedans will likely be the key determinants in plotting the future for
each company.

With Ford, AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE points towards the F-150 pickup, the
Ranger pickup and the Explorer sport-ute as the anchors to its 1997
lineup.

"Trucks continue to shine as Dearborn struggles to contain runaway
costs and reverse eroding profits," the magazine notes.

Improving quality will continue to be the priority at Chrysler for the
new year, according to AUTOMOBILE.  The company will look to newer
products like its minivans and Dodge Ram pickup to help raise
standards.  "With Kirk Kerkorian back under his rock, Bob Eaton and
company can home in on enhancing quality," states the magazine.

Relative to GM, AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE says the company's new minivans
and family sedans will "provide the first indicators of whether GM's
'brandscape' will be bleak or bountiful."

GM will apply brand management to products like the new Pontiac Grand
Prix, the new Chevrolet Malibu, the Pontiac Trans Sport minivan and
Oldsmobile Silhouette minivan in an attempt to achieve meaningful
differentiation among its eight domestic nameplates and dozens of
models.

In addition to the 1997 models, the October AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE
exposes Ferrari's newest baby, the 550 Maranello. Ferrari's Chairman &
CEO, Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, is also featured.

Other stories include an evaluation of the Toyota Camry and an
examination of Volkswagen and its struggle in the U.S. market.

Founded in 1986, AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE has been the fastest growing
automotive-enthusiast publication in history, having achieved
circulation in excess of 600,000 within its first eight years.
AUTOMOBILE MAGAZINE is published by K-III Magazine Corporation, which
also produces NEW YORK, SEVENTEEN, NEW WOMAN and CHICAGO MAGAZINE.