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Letter to the Editor

AutoNation and MSN Carpoint Join Forces To Build the Largest Online Dealer Network

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- AutoNation, Inc., America's largest automotive retailer, and MSN Carpoint, the most visited car- buying and ownership site on the Web, have announced an agreement that makes AutoNation the primary distributor of Carpoint customer sales leads. The agreement dramatically expands Carpoint's national dealer coverage to ensure that online car buyers can easily find the car they want at a nearby dealer.

As part of the three-year agreement, AutoNation begins initial distribution of Carpoint's sales leads this March, leading to full distribution by June. To serve Carpoint dealers, AutoNation will leverage its existing e-Commerce infrastructure, which already serves online sales leads from shopping sources such as AutoVantage.com and other major consumer portals to AutoNation's 400 dealership franchises and more than 1,600 dealership franchises outside of AutoNation's retail network. Carpoint and AutoNation will also use customer demand data to dramatically expand Carpoint's dealer network to better serve online car buyers everywhere.

"When a car shopper goes online with questions, they want answers and we need to be there with a fast response and the car they want. That's why, as the Web's largest e-Dealer, we want to work with Microsoft Corp. to be Carpoint's fulfillment solution," AutoNation Chief Executive Officer Mike Jackson said. "That means keeping the flow of high-quality, Carpoint sales leads flowing to the greatest number of e-Dealers possible."

Added MSN Carpoint CEO Jeff Dossett: "We are very excited to forge another significant industry relationship to help make it easier for consumers to buy and own cars. Bringing together AutoNation's expansive retail network and fulfillment services with our vast consumer reach and technology leadership means better responsiveness, more satisfied consumers and more sales to dealers, everyday. We look forward to working with AutoNation and our other industry partners to continue to innovate to better serve car shoppers, car owners, dealers and OEMs."

Carpoint will continue to develop and market innovative online advertising and customer acquisition programs to leading automotive manufacturers such as Ford, General Motors, DaimlerChrysler and Toyota, as well as to other companies serving automotive consumers such as State Farm. Carpoint will also continue to work closely with manufacturers such as Ford and Honda to deploy Dealerpoint, the automotive retail industry's widely used customer relationship management tool that is currently on more than 7,000 dealer desktops. AutoNation will continue to offer real cars and real prices through its company-owned-and-operated Web sites, including AutoNation.com, home to the Web's largest virtual showroom, and continue development of Compass, its customer relationship tool. Together, AutoNation and Carpoint will work with the industry to develop the programs, tools and technologies that will continue to improve the online car shopping experience for consumers and dealers.

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