First-of-its-kind Virtual Garage for Car Fans Launched by New York Auto Show

NEW YORK - February 15, 2008: Described as "the virtual automobile community site" by Show Director, Candida Romanelli, Virtual Garage is designed to give car enthusiasts around the world the chance to show-off images and videos of their cars through the New York International Automobile Show (NYIAS) website. NYIAS is the first auto show to embrace the online community group phenomenon made famous by facebook.com and myspace.com with the NYIAS Virtual Garages section of www.autoshowNY.com.

"We put so much effort into creating this amazing event to showcase the latest cars and trucks to the public that we thought it is only fair that we get to see the vehicles that our website and show visitors own and cherish," continued Candida.

Virtual Garage members will be able to upload photos and video of their vehicles, enter their mini-bio and check-out other members' cars and trucks, and email each other. All the vehicles are cross referenced so that, for example, a Mercedes or Ford owner can see which members have similar vehicles listed on the Site.

"The beauty of the site is that it allows car enthusiasts to stay in touch with each other, and us, year round. We've made the process simple so that people can start sharing their vehicle pictures in seconds. We think that individuals, collectors, and car club members will enjoy making friends and sharing stories about their cars," she said.

The New York International Auto Show is the largest publicly attended show of its kind in the country; it is also the North America's oldest.

"The New York Auto Show has become an institution. It's hard to believe that the Show and the public's love of cars has been around for so long. We're thrilled to be custodians of this great event, and part of that responsibility is to make sure that we are on the cutting-edge of what our customers are looking for. Not only in terms of automobiles displayed on the Show floor, but in the way that we communicate to future generations of car lovers and car buyers," continued Romanelli.

Kicking off the springtime selling season, the 2008 New York International Auto Show will feature an impressive collection of cutting-edge design and remarkable innovation. More than four floors of displays from the world's automakers will feature the newest vehicles and futuristic concept cars. More than 1,000 cars and trucks will be on display at the Javits Center, filling 846,000 square feet of exhibit space. In addition, dozens of World and North American vehicle debuts are expected at the Show. NYIAS is owned and produced by the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association.

For more information, or to purchase tickets for the New York International Automobile Show online, visit www.autoshowNY.com.