REDMOND, Wash., June 5, 2000 — MSN™ CarPoint™
, the leading online automotive marketplace, today announced it will launch a Canadian version of its U.S. Web site that will provide comprehensive resources for researching and buying new cars via the Web.
CarPoint Canada will be available in both French and English and will serve as the new Auto Channel for MSN.CA, which reaches 2.2 million consumers each month according to Media Metrix Inc. (April 2000).
The site is scheduled to launch later this year, and prominent Canadian automotive journalist Marc Lachapelle will serve as the site’s editor in chief, overseeing editorial content and news. Lachapelle is a member of the Auto Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) and the former editor of Le Monde de L’Auto Magazine. He has received numerous accolades, including Canadian Automotive Journalist of the Year, and AJAC honors for professionalism in journalism and photography.
“We welcome the addition of Marc Lachapelle to the CarPoint team and the positive impact his automotive experience will have on our editorial initiatives,”
said Jeff Dossett, CEO of CarPoint at Microsoft.
“CarPoint will continue to enter global markets well-suited for online car buying, and we look forward to working with Canadian dealers and manufacturers to sell more cars, more efficiently. Our site will give manufacturers and dealers the opportunity to showcase their products and services to the millions of online users in Canada and leverage the Internet to build stronger relationships with customers.”
“I am excited to join the CarPoint team and help bring this leading-edge consumer service to Canada,”
said Marc Lachapelle, editor in chief of CarPoint Canada.
“We aim to provide Canadian consumers with the most complete and pertinent information and services they want and need to make the right decision when purchasing a new vehicle.”
The site will feature new car-buying resources similar to those available in the United States, including Canadian-specific data, content, resources, prices, safety information and new product releases. The site will also feature special reports, industry news and detailed automotive reviews by noted Canadian automotive journalist Daniel Heraud.
CarPoint Canada technology and site design will closely mirror the U.S. version, and dealers will be supported by The Reynolds and Reynolds (Canada) Ltd., a leading provider of integrated information management systems. As a strategic provider for the CarPoint online automotive service, Reynolds will focus on dealer marketing, enrollment, training and support. Reynolds & Reynolds and CarPoint will be on hand to meet with dealers at the Canadian Auto Dealers Association (CADA) show in Ottawa, Ontario, June 5-6, 2000.
“CarPoint is committed to building the technology to power the automotive marketplace, including unparalleled resources that bring dealers and manufacturers together with online consumers,”
Dossett said.
MSN CarPoint is the most-visited online car-buying service in the United States, reaching more than 6 million consumers per month, and generates more than $650 million (U.S.) in vehicle sales for its 3,700 affiliated dealers each month.
About Reynolds and Reynolds
Reynolds and Reynolds (Canada) Ltd., headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Reynolds and Reynolds Co. (NYSE
“REY”
), headquartered in Dayton, Ohio (USA). Reynolds and Reynolds is intent on leading the transformation of worldwide automotive retailing with information management, eCRM and Internet solutions. The company reported revenues of $1.56 billion for the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, 1999. For more information on Reynolds and Reynolds, visit http://www.reyrey.com/solutions/index.html or call the Information Hotline at (888) 4REYREY.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software — any time, any place and on any device.
Microsoft, MSN and CarPoint are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the 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 more information, CarPoint representatives will be available for interviews and demonstrations at CADA at the Reynolds and Reynolds Booths: 416, 418, 420, 517, 519 and 521. The booths are located in the center of the Ottawa Congress Centre, across from the CADA booth.
