Microsoft CarPoint and AutoSite Sign Distribution Deal

REDMOND, Wash., Aug. 10, 1998 — Microsoft Corp. today announced that it has signed a deal to make the New Car Buying Service on its CarPoint
™
online automotive service ( http://www.carpoint.com/ ) directly available to visitors on AutoSite ( http://www.autosite.com/ ), a leading Web site for researching new and used car and truck pricing and specifications. The agreement makes AutoSite a one-stop shop for researching and buying a new car.

Visitors to AutoSite can take advantage of the free New Car Buying Service immediately (connect-time charges may apply). To use the service, AutoSite visitors can click on a button that takes them straight to the CarPoint Web site, where they can submit a purchase request. These requests are promptly forwarded to a nearby Microsoft CarPoint Qualified Dealer for a competitive price quote. The Microsoft CarPoint Qualified Dealer calls or sends an e-mail response within approximately 48 hours (excluding weekends and holidays).

“Our visitors know that AutoSite provides high-quality information for all their car research needs,”
said Wayne Lilley, AutoSite CEO.
“The agreement with Microsoft CarPoint extends our service into the purchasing cycle. AutoSite’s comprehensive and timely data, combined with the easy-to-use auto-purchasing service in CarPoint, helps consumers through a confusing process. Consumers can now purchase a new vehicle from their own home without the pressure of negotiating with salespeople on the showroom floor. The AutoSite/CarPoint relationship makes it much easier for consumers to buy the right car at the right price.”

“This agreement is a big win for the thousands of automobile dealers who subscribe to our New Car Buying Service,”
said Lindsay Sparks, general manager of the automotive product unit at Microsoft.
“By working with AutoSite, CarPoint is providing its affiliated dealers with more ways to sell cars to a large new group of highly qualified customers.”

About AutoSite Automotive Information Center

AutoSite is a 30,000-page online automotive buyer’s guide for consumers researching automobile purchases. AutoSite offers comprehensive data on new and used vehicles as well as other information relevant to owning an automobile.

AutoSite Pro for industry analysts uses an enormous storehouse of automotive information, from the Automotive Information Center (AIC), including data on virtually every aspect of nearly 1,000 trim levels of vehicles sold in the United States. Because AIC’s strict methodology offers high levels of accuracy, timeliness and consistency, AutoSite Pro offers the industry a superior platform for competitive comparison and analysis.

Automotive Information Center is the industry’s leading provider of objective new and used vehicle information for professionals and consumers. Since 1982, AIC has compiled pricing, specifications, standard and optional equipment, and a wide range of supporting data on all cars, vans, light trucks and sport utility vehicles sold in the United States. AIC is a Thomson Publishing Co. based in Westborough, Mass.

About Microsoft CarPoint

Microsoft CarPoint is a comprehensive automotive Web site that offers users complete car-buying information. Launched in August 1996, CarPoint gives users fast, convenient access

to detailed specifications, reviews from the leading automotive journalists, detailed pricing information, interactive decision-management tools, and a new and used car buying service.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

Microsoft and CarPoint are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

AutoSite is a trademark of Automotive Information Center.

Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.


Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft’s corporate information pages.

For additional press and advertising information on Automotive Information Center, please visit http://www.autosite.com/sponsors/pressrel.asp or http://www.autosite.com/sponsors/advert.asp .

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