Kelley Blue Book Selects RoadLoans.com As Its Online Lender Assisting Car Shoppers In Financing Their Next New Or Used Car

DALLAS, Aug. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Kelley Blue Book, www.kbb.com, the leading provider of new car and used car information, has named RoadLoans.com as its preferred online lender. Shoppers visiting the kbb.com website for new and used vehicle information can now research and apply for auto financing through RoadLoans.com. RoadLoans.com is a leading online auto lender* specializing in new and used auto financing for customers with all types of credit seeking a direct lending experience. RoadLoans.com also offers customers the opportunity to refinance an existing auto loan. Founded in 1997, RoadLoans.com is owned by Santander Consumer USA Inc., a leading automotive finance company in the U.S.

Working with RoadLoans.com, Kelley Blue Book now offers consumers with all types of credit the ability to obtain financing to purchase their next new car from a single preferred provider. Using a secure online application powered by RoadLoans.com, kbb.com site visitors can receive a financing decision in less than a minute. Consumers may customize their contract, selecting their preference for Annual Percentage Rate ("APR"), contract term (months) and down payment amount.

"Kelley Blue Book is a legendary entity in the world of auto sales," says Lana Johnson, senior vice president of originations for Santander Consumer USA. "Being aligned with Kelley Blue Book gives RoadLoans.com the opportunity to assist more consumers and streamline the online purchasing cycle. Customers can research and estimate pricing for the vehicle they want and easily apply for financing, all from the same site."

"Through this relationship with RoadLoans.com, the millions of people who visit kbb.com each month will also have a convenient way to obtain financing information and options for new and used vehicles, regardless of their credit situation," says Damon Bennett, vice president, business development and partnerships, at Kelley Blue Book. "We are always looking to provide our site visitors with information and resources critical to the car-buying process and this new relationship with RoadLoans.com helps achieve that goal."

About RoadLoans.com and Santander Consumer USA Inc.

Santander Consumer USA Inc., owner of the Drive®, Santander Auto Finance® and RoadLoans.com® brands, is a leading company in the automotive finance sector, whose core business is indirect, direct, and third-party originations and servicing of auto financing. The company has a serviced finance portfolio of approximately $21 billion and relationships with nearly 14,000 dealers in the U.S. The company began originating financing in 1997 and is headquartered in Dallas. ( http://www.santanderconsumerusa.com and http://www.roadloans.com) (*Lending through Santander Consumer USA is accomplished through retail installment contracts, not auto loans.)

Banco Santander (SAN.MC, STD.N, BNC.LN) is a retail and commercial bank, based in Spain, with a presence in 10 main markets. Santander is the largest bank in the euro zone and is among the top 15 in the world by market capitalization. Founded in 1857, Santander had EUR 1.383 trillion in managed funds, more than 102 million customers, 14,760 branches – more than any other international bank – and 193,000 employees at the close of 2011. It is the largest financial group in Spain and Latin America. Furthermore, it has significant positions in the United Kingdom, Portugal, Germany, Poland and the U.S. northeast. Santander Consumer Finance operates in the Group's core markets as well as in the Nordic region. In 2011, Grupo Santander registered EUR 7,021 million in recurring net profit.

About Kelley Blue Book ( www.kbb.com)

Founded in 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource®, is the only vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the industry. Each week the company provides the most market-reflective values in the industry on its top-rated website www.kbb.com, including its famous Blue Book® Trade-In and Suggested Retail Values and Fair Purchase Price, which reports what others are paying for new cars this week. The company also provides vehicle pricing and values through various products and services available to car dealers, auto manufacturers, finance and insurance companies as well as governmental agencies. Kbb.com provides consumer pricing and information on cars for sale, minivans, pickup trucks, sedan, hybrids, electric cars and SUVs. Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com ranked highest in its category for brand equity and was named Online Auto Shopping Brand of the Year by the 2012 Harris Poll EquiTrend® study.  Kelley Blue Book Co. Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of AutoTrader.com.

Media Contacts:

Laurie KightSantander Consumer USA Inc. [e-mail]                                      

SOURCE Santander Consumer USA Inc.

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