IRVINE, Calif. — Autobytel Inc. today announced a new agreement with Kelley Blue Book (KBB) that will allow dealers participating in Autobytel’s Used Car Program to post their used-vehicle inventory in The Trusted Marketplace, KBB’s online vehicle classified shopping experience.

The new arrangement with KBB will help Autobytel’s member dealers expand into the used-car market, the sales of which are projected to outnumber new auto sales by 4-to-1 in 2009. Dealers that subscribe to Autobytel’s Used Car Program will have access to vehicle shoppers through KBB’s The Trusted Marketplace on www.kbb.com. This, in combination with used-car customers from Autobytel’s family of Websites and other sites, provides Autobytel member dealers with a rich stream of motivated used-car buyers.

"Kelley Blue Book is perhaps the most recognized and revered consumer brand in the automotive market, and has long been a major force in the used car arena," said Mark Garms, Autobytel’s executive vice president and chief operating officer. "With 50 percent of car buyers planning to purchase a used vehicle in what has become a very challenging new car sales market, we are very pleased to have the opportunity to connect Autobytel’s member dealers with Kelley Blue Book’s highly-qualified used-car buyers — and, in a climate of constrained marketing budgets, to be able to provide this value-add to our member dealers on a pay-for-performance basis."

The Trusted Marketplace from KBB presents vehicles that match consumers’ desired characteristics, providing consumers an unparalleled experience in finding their next car. The Trusted Marketplace’s search function reveals the ‘Best Match’ — a list of cars that most closely reflect a shopper’s search criteria and applied intelligence gained from millions of customer queries and transactions. Additionally, KBB integrates its online vehicle research with dealers’ inventory listings to allow consumers to confidently find specific vehicles of interest and help dealers to efficiently sell those selected vehicles to serious, in-market shoppers.

"Autobytel’s network of thousands of Internet savvy dealers and their diverse inventories of top-notch used vehicles will be a welcome addition to The Trusted Marketplace," said Mike Romano, senior vice president of dealer strategy for KBB. "The Trusted Marketplace is designed to help our millions of used car visitors quickly and easily find their perfect used vehicle and then have the best possible purchasing experience. By partnering with Autobytel, we can provide shoppers more inventory and dealers to help them find their next car."

Autobytel’s Used Car Program features pay-per-performance pricing and free inventory listings for its member dealers. The program also includes the company’s Rapid Response program, which has pay-for-performance phone leads and includes a trackable toll-free phone number on each vehicle listing that allows shoppers to phone the dealership directly, as well as call recordings and automatic de-duplication.