[EMAIL] Chrome Data
11 December 2000
Chrome Data Teams Up with caranddriver.com
World's Largest Automotive Magazine Integrates Chrome's Configuration
Intelligence Into Its Automotive Portal
PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 11, 2000--Chrome Data
Corporation, the most accurate independent business-to-business
provider of automotive data, configuration technology and software,
today announced that Hachette Filipacchi New Media, a division of
Hachette Filipacchi Magazines, has integrated Chrome Data's automotive
configuration technology and pricing data in its recently relaunched
automotive portal, caranddriver.com.
By combining Car and Driver's renowned and unbiased editorial with
the most accurate and independent automotive data and configuration
technology from Chrome, caranddriver.com is providing the most
authoritative and independent automotive resource available to help
consumers make better car-purchasing decisions.
"The beauty of caranddriver.com is that we're extending the
authoritative information targeted to enthusiasts with valuable
content for the in-market buyer and making it available to a much
wider network of people who are in the process of buying cars," said
Jack Kliger, president and CEO, Hachette Filipacchi Magazines. "We
believe the consumer values information that is well researched and
unbiased. Chrome is a critical element of enhancing the consumer
relationship with caranddriver.com."
Chrome is providing caranddriver.com with pricing and configuring
tools for new and used cars that will allow visitors to build a car to
their specification, determine the accurate MSRP and invoice prices,
and access editorial reviews from an archive containing hundreds of
Car and Driver roadtests. By using the new caranddriver.com resources,
consumers now have access to current and historical automotive news
and test drive results and have the ability to configure and
accurately price an orderable car, all at one Web site.
"Consumers are looking for information they can trust -- accurate
automotive information that takes the mystery out of a car purchase,"
said Bob Navarre, Chrome CEO. "The combination of our data with the
leading editorial source of Car and Driver will ultimately enable
consumers to confidently make smarter car-buying decisions."
Chrome: Most Accurate Data Provider
In a recent independent study CNW Marketing/Research compared the
pricing data of the major online automotive data sources by
configuring 86 different vehicles at eight different Web sites (see
Chrome Data Named Most Accurate Data Provider for Automotive
e-Commerce, June 27, 2000). Chrome ranked first in data accuracy with
an average price accuracy of 99.64%.
About caranddriver.com
The relaunch of caranddriver.com with new features and services
reinforces the authority of the Car and Driver brand as the most
complete automotive resource offline and now, online. Car and Driver
is the world's largest monthly automotive magazine with nine million
readers.
About Chrome Data
Chrome Data pioneered the technology behind electronic vehicle
configuration and for the past 14 years has collected, analyzed and
enhanced "raw" automotive data from all manufacturers. Chrome's
configuration technology platform allows dealers, Internet portals,
financial institutions and insurance and warranty companies to provide
their customers with tools to configure vehicles both online and on
the desktop -- including specifications on all new vehicle makes and
models, standard and optional equipment, vehicle pictures and accurate
pricing. This information precisely matches manufacturers' invoice and
MSRP pricing, enabling users to configure and order any vehicle sold
in the U.S. with the confidence that the delivered product and price
are exactly what was expected. Chrome's flagship product, the desktop
research, pricing and ordering tool PC Carbook(R), is widely accepted
as the standard in automotive data. Chrome's Web-based product, Chrome
Carbook(TM), can be accessed from more than 1,000 Web sites across the
Internet. The company is based in Portland, Oregon and may be reached
at 800/936-8906. Company information is available at
http://www.chrome.com/.
Copyright(c)2000 Chrome Data Corporation. All rights reserved. PC
Carbook(R), C/D3(R), Chrome Carbook(TM)and Chrome.com(R)are trademarks
of Chrome Data Corporation.
# # #
CONTACT: Chrome Data Corp.
Dave Thompson, 800/936-8906
dthompson@chrome.com
or
MKI
Heather Alexander, 503/225-0725
heathera@mkinc.com
or
Hachette Filipacchi Magazines
Anne Janas, 212/767-5810
ajanas@hfmmag.com