REDMOND, Wash., April 21, 1999 — To celebrate the launch of the new Toyota Tundra, Toyota’s full-size pickup truck assembled in the United States, the MSN Gaming Zone and Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. Inc. announced that they will give away a Toyota Tundra on the MSN Gaming Zone as the grand prize for the Tundra Madness tournament, for which competition begins tomorrow. The Tundra, valued at over $27,000 (retail), will be the largest prize ever given away on the MSN Gaming Zone, the No. 1 gaming community on the Internet. The MSN Gaming Zone can be found on the Internet at http://www.zone.com/ or by clicking on Games at http://MSN.com/ .
The Tundra Madness tournament is free* and open to all Internet users residing in the United States** who register on the MSN Gaming Zone and own the highly acclaimed “Monster Truck Madness® 2” racing simulation game from Microsoft Corp. The MSN Gaming Zone has created a Toyota-customized version of “Monster Truck Madness 2” especially for the Tundra Madness tournament. Players will race against each other in virtual Tundra trucks on an online racetrack tailor-made for the Toyota tournament. Online competitors of all skill levels are encouraged to vie for the coveted champion title “Duke of Dirt” and, of course, the Toyota Tundra.
“The Zone and Toyota will send four finalists to the Toyota Tundra manufacturing plant in Indiana, where they will compete in front of a live audience for the truck,” said Adam Waalkes, product unit manager of the MSN Gaming Zone. “The finalists will get to witness firsthand the Tundras being assembled at the Indiana plant.”
Available June 1, 1999, the Toyota Tundra will make its official debut at the Tundra Madness finals at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Inc. in Princeton, Ind. “Toyota was looking for an innovative, ‘beyond-the-banner’ Web campaign in which to launch the Toyota Tundra,” said Dave Pelliccioni, vice president of marketing at Toyota. “But we’ve never launched a vehicle at a monster truck event – let alone at an online monster truck event.”
About Tundra Madness
The Tundra Madness tournament features “Microsoft Monster Truck Madness 2” on the MSN Gaming Zone. Similar to live monster truck events, the Tundra Madness racing tournament is divided into trials, with each trial diminishing the opportunity for competitors to advance to the finals. The last trial is called the “Meatgrinder,” in which two competitors will earn wild card invitations to the semifinals. The MSN Gaming Zone and Toyota will send four finalists to Toyota Motor Manufacturing where they will compete for the grand prize in a live event. Players can log on to the MSN Gaming Zone ( http://www.zone.com/ ) for the full official rules and for additional information.
About the Toyota Tundra
The 2000 Toyota Tundra pickup truck will compete in the domestic full-size pickup segment and clearly will be a strong competitor in the areas of acceleration, braking and towing. With a starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price of under $15,000, the Tundra features a car-like interior and a smooth ride. Upgraded Tundra models offer the 245-horsepower i-Force V8 engine, up to 7,200 pounds of towing capacity, up to nearly 2,000 pounds of maximum payload (on selected specially equipped models), a four-door access cab, available four-wheel-drive capabilities and a variety of option packages.
About Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A.
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. is the sales, marketing and distribution arm of Toyota in the United States. Toyota is the fourth largest auto manufacturer in America, and its award-winning Web site can be accessed at http://www.toyota.com/ . More than half of all Toyota vehicles sold in the United States are manufactured in North America using domestic and imported parts.
About the MSN Gaming Zone
With more than 5 million registered users from around the world and up to 250,000 unique visitors per day, the Zone is the most popular gaming community on the Internet. The Zone offers free* membership and a wide variety of games including free* card, board and puzzle games; free* matchmaking for popular CD-ROM games; and premium games designed specifically for “massively multiplayer” gaming on the Internet. In addition, the MSN Gaming Zone has teamed with key partners to offer its members expanded gaming services such as industry news, product reviews, downloadable demos, online shopping and a broader range of online games.
About Microsoft
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.
* Connect-time charges may apply.
** Residents of Arizona, North Dakota, Maryland and Vermont are not eligible to win prizes. See official rules.
Microsoft, MSN and “Monster Truck Madness” are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
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