Lexus IS300 Dominates Consumer Interest at Edmunds' Test-Drivable Auto Show; Odyssey, Jetta, Xterra, Sentra, Passat and Tahoe Lead Their Segments

14 July 2000
Lexus IS300 Dominates Consumer Interest at Edmunds' Test-Drivable Auto Show; Odyssey, Jetta, Xterra, Sentra, Passat and Tahoe Lead Their Segments
    LOS ANGELES, July 14 Consumers voted with their feet,
literally, for the hottest mainstream vehicles at EdmundsLIVE in Atlanta this
weekend.  The event, which will travel to five other major markets throughout
the summer, allows consumers to test drive the 50 most popular vehicles in an
unbiased, pressure-free setting.
    The Lexus IS300 enticed the most drivers overall, taking 957 laps during
three days at the premier event.  Competitive near luxury sedans available for
back-to-back test drives at EdmundsLIVE include the BMW 323i, Audi A4 and
Acura 3.2 TL, among others.
    "Typically, car shoppers can't easily test drive competitive vehicles
without spending a significant amount of time in a variety of sales-driven
environments such as dealerships and manufacturer's ride-and-drives,"
according to Peter Steinlauf, CEO of Edmunds.com, host of the event.
    Over 80% of consumers who completed exit surveys in Atlanta indicated they
were currently in the market for a new car, and over 67% of them planned to
make a purchase within the next six months.
    EdmundsLIVE is staffed with knowledgeable, objective industry experts who
can answer questions and advise consumers on what to look for as they
experience the competitive test drives, vehicle displays and topical live
"chat rooms".  The event complements Edmunds.com (http://www.edmunds.com)
site, the web's leading consumer resource for unbiased automotive information.
On the web site and at the event, consumers can also interact with sponsoring
online auto-related businesses such as CarsDirect, PeopleFirst, eCoverage and
1Source Auto Warranty.

    Following Atlanta, EdmundsLIVE will visit five other markets this summer:

    -- Washington, D.C. (Fed Ex Field) August 4-6
    -- Chicago (Chicago Motor Speedway) August 11-13
    -- Englishtown, NJ (Raceway Park) August 31-September 3
    -- San Francisco (Golden Gate Field) September 15-17
    -- Los Angeles (Hollywood Park) September 23-29

    Interested parties can register in advance at http://www.edmunds.com or register
at the venue the day of the event.  Licensed drivers over 18 are qualified to
participate in the event at $15 per couple (under 18 admitted free).  Snacks,
beverages and a free t-shirt are covered in the admission fee.
    "EdmundsLIVE is undoubtedly the future of the auto show -- a chance for
consumers to directly compare and test drive vehicles of interest and make an
educated purchase decision in a pressure-free environment," remarks Steinlauf.

    About Edmunds.com
    Headquartered in Los Angeles, Edmunds.com is the Internet's pioneer and
leader in providing free, unbiased automotive information.  Edmunds.com
empowers, educates and engages visitors by respecting them and providing them
with straightforward, truthful information on key aspects of buying,
selling and owning a vehicle.  Users are provided automobile pricing data,
extensive automobile reviews, consumer information, safety updates, incentive
and rebate news, expert analysis of developments in the automotive world and
the Town Hall, an interactive community of more than 500,000 participants.
Edmunds.com has been honored as one of Yahoo! Internet Life's 50 Most
Incredibly Useful Sites, Money's 50 Most Useful Financial Websites and among
Entrepreneur Magazine's Top 100 Web Sites for Entrepreneurs.

    High-res photos available for download at
http://www.edmunds.com/edweb/news/edmundslive/atlanta.html

    For more information or media credentials to attend EdmundsLIVE, contact:
Jeannine Fallon, Edmunds.com, ph: 310-962-3841, jfallon@edmunds.com