autobytel.com Expands Leasing Program With the Addition of Provident Bank.

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 4, 1999--autobytel.com inc., the premier Internet car-buying service, announced that Cincinnati-based Provident Bank will now provide passenger vehicle lease financing to autobytel.com customers in the 10 states in which Provident currently operates.

Provident Bank joins GE Capital and Chase Manhattan Bank as financing solution providers for Auto-By-Tel Acceptance Corp. (ABTAC), the financing division of autobytel.com inc.

"Our goal is to offer consumers the most competitive financing options available, while providing dealers with programs that can be seamlessly integrated into their existing finance department," said Mark W. Lorimer, president and CEO of autobytel.com inc. "I am confident that by adding Provident Bank at the regional level autobytel.com will be delivering the best options possible to both consumers and dealers."

This new relationship will give autobytel.com consumers the opportunity to take advantage of some of Provident's unique programs, such as extended lease terms (up to 72 and 75 months) on both new and pre-owned vehicles. According to the agreement, Provident will begin processing applications for new-car leases during the 2nd quarter of 1999, with pre-owned vehicles to follow soon after.

Provident currently provides auto financing in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. As Provident continues to expand throughout the country, its relationship with autobytel.com can expand accordingly.

autobytel.com lets consumers shop for new and pre-owned vehicles via the Internet from the comfort of their homes or offices. autobytel.com's financing is integrated into the vehicle purchase request process.

When entering a purchase request, consumers can opt to apply for leasing, through either Provident Bank or GE Capital, or traditional financing through Chase Manhattan. The application is then electronically submitted to the appropriate financial institution, whose decision is transmitted to both the consumer and dealer.

About autobytel.com inc.

Irvine, Calif.-based autobytel.com inc. (www.autobytel.com) is a nationally branded Internet-based purchasing program for new and certified pre-owned vehicles and related consumer services, including automotive financing, leasing, a rewards program and insurance.

autobytel.com has assisted more than 2.5 million car buyers since its inception in 1995. autobytel.com's North American Accredited Dealer Network includes more than 2,700 dealerships, representing every major automotive manufacturer. autobytel.com is a registered service mark of autobytel.com inc.

About Provident Bank

Provident Bank is a subsidiary of Provident Financial Group Inc. (Nasdaq:PFGI), a Cincinnati-based commercial banking and financial services company with $8.1 billion in assets that provides full-service banking operations through its banking subsidiaries, The Provident Bank and the Provident Bank of Florida.

Major business lines include: Provident Capital Corp., a provider of middle-market structured finance products; Provident Commercial Group, an equipment lease and finance subsidiary; Provident Consumer Financial Services (PCFS), a national mortgage loan division; and Information Leasing Corp. (ILC), a full-service, small-ticket equipment lease subsidiary.

Additional information about Provident is available at http://www.provident-bank.com.