America's Favorite Car Picks

15 April 1998
Autoweb.com Announces America's Favorite Car Picks For the First Quarter of '98

                             Honda Accord in Lead

    SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 15 -- Autoweb.com today announced
that the 1998 Honda Accord is currently the most popular car in America, based
on purchase requests received from January 1 through March 31, 1998.  The
Honda Accord topped Autoweb.com's "Top 10 Most Requested Cars" list for the
first quarter, not just by a margin, but by a long run to become the best
selling model in America -- a telling sign of online purchase trends for the
remainder of the year.  Claiming the second and third seats were the Honda
Civic and the Ford Explorer.
    The Autoweb.com results are among the first in the industry to provide a
glimpse into a battle brewing between the rival auto makers to become the
number one seller of the year.  The "Top 10 Most Requested Cars" list is based
on a tally of individual Autoweb.com purchase requests from the first three
months of 1998.  With the number of online car purchases growing each day
through Autoweb.com, the findings are also a precursor to overall national
sales for the leading car manufacturers.
    "The race to become the number one selling car of the year is one of the
most closely watched competitions in the automobile industry," said Payam
Zamani, Executive Vice President and co-founder of Autoweb.com.  "Given the
size of our user base, our purchase requests have become a significant market
indicator."
    Using the Autoweb.com site, wired consumers can quickly and conveniently
shop for the car they want online by filling out a "purchase request," which
identifies their preferred make, model, color, and extra features.  Once the
online purchase request has been submitted, the user is immediately put in
touch with an Autoweb.com member dealer in his or her geographical area.
Autoweb.com's customer care department then follows-up with both the consumer
and the participating dealer to ensure the transaction is smooth for both
parties.
    Based on these purchase request numbers for the first quarter of the year,
Autoweb.com's "Top 10 Most Requested Cars" are:

    1.  Honda Accord
    2.  Honda Civic
    3.  Ford Explorer
    4.  Toyota Camry
    5.  Dodge Durango
    6.  Ford Expedition
    7.  Chevy Suburban
    8.  Ford Mustang
    9.  Ford Blazer
    10. Volkswagen Passat

    Founded in November 1994, Autoweb.com ( http://www.autoweb.com ) is the
leading online brand for new and used cars, where informed, motivated buyers
are put in touch with an exclusive network of the highest ranking dealers in
the U.S. and Canada.  Using Autoweb.com, consumers can inquire about car
availability and pricing, secure a loan, finalize their purchase, schedule
delivery, or advertise their used car for sale.
    Autoweb.com's industry leadership is reinforced by strategic partnerships
with Yahoo!, USA Today, NationsBank, State Farm, C/NET's Search.com, Netscape
Communications, Infoseek, Lycos, Car and Driver Online and CBS SportsLine.
Autoweb.com is a seven time recipient of PC Magazine's "Top 100 Website
Award."
    For more information, contact Autoweb.com, 3270 Jay Street, Santa Clara,
Calif.  Telephone:  800-707-9552; Fax:  408-554-9553; Email:
info@autoweb.com.

SOURCE  Autoweb.com