AutoTrader.com, an online automotive classified site, has announced CurbSide, a free monthly electronic newsletter. With an unprecedented email presentation including HTML, streaming audio and video flash animation, real time polls and search functionality, CurbSide is an interactive learning tool designed to assist consumers throughout all stages of the automobile ownership process. Additionally, this enhanced interactive marketing tool will provide an open venue for automotive companies and product marketers to communicate with consumers. The information will provide consumers with an opportunity to learn about all aspects of the automotive buying, owning, maintaining and selling processes, according to AutoTrader.com. The newsletter allows consumers to interact with AutoTrader.com throughout the ownership of their car -- usually three years. Since its initial launch in 1999, CurbSide has built a readership database to include more than one million consumers nationwide. The first edition of the redesigned electronic newsletter was sent out Jan. 29. "This is one of the first of many steps you'll see from AutoTrader.com in 2001 to identify and service the growing needs of our consumers," said John Kovac, director of advertising at AutoTrader.com. "By creating an exciting, engaging, interactive format to provide consumers with relevant, useful information, we have the opportunity to expand our reach beyond buyers and sellers and provide valuable content to retain consumers throughout the entire automotive ownership experience." Subscribers will now be able to receive the latest car care and driving tips with helpful information on maintenance, insurance, finance and the most up-to-date news in the automotive industry, according to Kovac. "CurbSide will provide pertinent consumer information on a myriad of subjects ranging from how to change the oil to how to choose the right tires for particular makes and models," Kovac said. "It will also offer topical vehicle information including ways to save fuel and how to select the right octane for vehicles. The newsletter will include interactive polls and survey questions, such as consumers' favorite travel destinations via car, most popular music for lengthy travels, and much, much more." With the relaunch of the newsletter, AutoTrader.com will offer partners and dealers sponsorship opportunities and the chance to promote their latest commercials and special offers to viewers and readers nationwide. In addition to sponsorships, advertisers will have the ability to display a 30-second audio/video ad within the actual e-mail, allowing advertisers to reach their target audience and create awareness of their products, according to Kovac. AutoTrader.com will also use CurbSide to premier its newest commercials and offer discounts, promotions and sweepstakes via the newsletter. CurbSide will be used as a tool for AutoTrader.com to learn more about its millions of consumers, according to Kovac. "Based on the consumer's ability to interact with the Curbside newsletter, AutoTrader.com will be better able to customize content and tailor various products and services to suit individual needs," Kovac said. Consumers can sign up on curbside.autotrader.com to receive the free monthly electronic newsletter or view the latest edition at curbside.autotrader.com/newsletter. About AutoTrader.com AutoTrader.com (www.autotrader.com), which bills itself as the world's largest used car marketplace, is designed to improve the way people buy and sell cars by providing a source of automotive information and a selection of more than 1.5 million used vehicles for sale. AutoTrader.com is the exclusive online distributor of used car listings data collected by Manheim Auctions, Inc. and the Dealer Services Group of Automatic Data Processing, Inc. AutoTrader.com's investors include Cox Enterprises, Inc., Manheim Auctions, Inc., Landmark Communications, Inc., the Dealer Services Group of Automatic Data Processing, Inc., Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and eBay Inc. In recent news, AutoTrader.com introduced www.ebay-autotrader.com, the Internet's largest auction-style used-car marketplace, as a result of an alliance between AutoTrader.com and eBay Inc.