Lithia Motors -- Fortune 1000 List of America's Largest Companies

13 April 2000

Lithia Motors, Inc. Enters the Fortune 1000 List of America's Largest Companies LITHIA AUTOMOTIVE GROUP LOGO Lithia Automotive Group logo. Contact: Betty Whitney, 541-776-6591. (PRNewsFoto)[DM] MEDFORD, OR USA 09/09/1999


    MEDFORD, Ore., April 13 Lithia Motors Inc. (NYSE: LAD)
today announced that it has been added to the Fortune 1000 List which
highlights the largest companies in the United States.  This is Lithia's first
year on the list, and the ranking shows the company as the 972nd largest in
the country.
    (Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19990909/LITHIALOGO )
    Lithia is included in the new "Automotive Retailing and Services"
industry.  According to Fortune's ranking of 41 industries, this industry
ranked first in revenue growth with a 29% gain, and first in EPS growth with a
93% gain.
    M.L. Dick Heimann, President and Chief Operating Officer of Lithia Motors,
Inc. stated, "We are very pleased to have reached the level of growth that
places us within the Fortune 1000 listing.  In the Automotive Retailing and
Services industry, Lithia ranked first in total return to investors in 1999.
Our disciplined growth strategy should continue to step us up the rankings in
the future.  Our employees have been the backbone of the success of the
company, and it is their dedicated efforts which have fueled our continuing
expansion."
    Lithia Motors, Inc. is one of the leading automotive retailers in the
United States, with 101 franchises in California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada,
Colorado and Idaho.  Lithia sells 25 brands of new vehicles at 45 stores and
over the Internet through "Lithia.com -- America's Car & Truck Store."  Lithia
also sells used vehicles; arranges finance, warranty, and credit insurance
contracts; and provides vehicles parts, maintenance, and repair services at
all of its locations.  Lithia retailed 52,485 new and used vehicles in 1999.
Lithia's current annualized revenue run rate, including all completed
acquisitions, is over $1.5 billion.
    This press release includes forward looking statements, which management
believes are a benefit to shareholders.  These statements are necessarily
subject to risk and uncertainty and actual results could differ materially due
to certain risk factors, including without limitation economic conditions,
acquisition risk factors and others set forth from time to time in the
company's filings with the SEC.  Specific risks in this press release include
industry rankings, investor returns, and revenue run rate.
    For additional information on Lithia Motors, contact:  Jeff DeBoer, Senior
VP and Chief Financial Officer 541-776-6868 (E-mail:  invest@lithia.com) or
log-on to:
http://www.lithia.com/CDA_2/CDA_templates/about_lithia_frameset2?pageID=G1 .