PRIMEDIA Automotive Digital Launches "Readers&Rides"; Feature across Auto and Motorcycle Enthusiast Sites

IRVINE, Calif.--PRIMEDIA Automotive Digital, PRIMEDIA’s portfolio of more than 60 leading automotive Web sites, today announced the introduction of “Readers’ Rides,” a free social networking feature available on the websites of some of the most popular auto and motorcycle enthusiast magazines, including Hot Rod, Lowrider, Truck Trend and Import Tuner.

The new Readers’ Rides communities offer car, truck and motorcycle enthusiasts an online space where they can show off their vehicles and interact with other like-minded enthusiasts. Readers’ Rides, which will eventually be available on most of PRIMEDIA Automotive Digital’s more than 60 auto-related sites, can currently be found at Truck Trend, Sport Compact Car, Lowrider, Import Tuner, Honda Tuning, Diesel Power, Truckin, Car Craft, Super Street, Hot Rod, Mini Truckin, Mopar Muscle, Popular Hot Rodding and Sport Truck.

“The Readers’ Rides communities are simply the best venue around for car and truck enthusiasts who want to share and show off the rides they care so much about,” said Josh Speyer, CEO of PRIMEDIA Automotive Digital. “What better way for our readers to showcase their passion than to feature them in an online network alongside other enthusiasts who share that passion?”

The Readers’ Rides communities are free and allow users to create a profile for each vehicle he or she owns. Users can provide make, model, performance and modification information for each profile and upload as many as 20 pictures per profile. Users will also be able to comment on and rate the rides of other users in the community, with top-rated profiles appearing on the front page of each Reader’s Rides community. Users will also be able to search and sort ride profiles based upon popularity, rating, and number of comments.

The Reader’s Rides communities are one of several new features added to PRIMEDIA Automotive Digital’s network of enthusiast websites as part of a comprehensive redesign. Newly revamped sites feature editorial blogs as well as community forums where readers can post and discuss auto-related topics. In addition, the layout of each enthusiast site has been changed to incorporate a wider, cleaner layout and various multimedia and video features.

About PRIMEDIA Automotive Digital

PRIMEDIA Automotive Digital consists of more than 60 Web sites for its automotive enthusiast titles and the Primedia In-Market Network, each with their own unique content and dedicated editorial staff. The PRIMEDIA In-Market Network of sites focuses on serving the active auto buyer and includes Automobilemag.com, Automotive.com, IntelliChoice.com, and MotorTrend.com. PRIMEDIA Automotive Digital is one of the largest in the automotive category according to a March 2007 comScore MediaMetric report. PRIMEDIA also boasts the largest online automotive enthusiast network. The group reaches more than 11 million unique visitors and generates over 75 million page views each month according to Nielsen//NetRatings SiteCensus.