THE ULTIMATE RIDE FOR THE ULTIMATE LITERARY BUFF

Penguin Publishing Selling Author-Autographed Mini Cooper on AutoTrader.com;
Proceeds from Sale to Benefit New York Public Library

Are you or a friend or family member the ultimate literary fan? Then AutoTrader.com has posted for sale the ultimate gift for you or that special someone: a 2010 Mini Cooper SD with a dashboard signed by 18 Penguin authors, including Garrison Keillor of Lake Wobegon fame, Pulitzer Prize winning authors William Kennedy and Geraldine Brooks as well as New York Times bestselling authors Michael Pollan, Sue Monk Kidd, Jan Karon, Rosanne Cash and many more!

Penguin Books purchased the Mini Cooper as part of the company’s 75th anniversary celebration, which occurred throughout 2010.  The vehicle traveled to literary and book events across the country and Penguin-published authors signed the car’s interior at each stop, making this truly a one-of-a-kind ride.

The vehicle is now for sale on AutoTrader.com with a Private Seller advertisement at www.autotrader.com/penguinmini for $30,000.  The price reflects the unique nature of the vehicle, its excellent condition and an additional bonus: the car comes with the top 75 titles published by Penguin Books over the past 75 years, a collection of books worth about $1,200.  Proceeds from the sale of the car will be donated to the New York Public Library.

“We wanted to post this vehicle on a site that had the ability to showcase the features of this car – both the features and options you’d find on any Mini Cooper and these unique autographs – and that had millions of car-shopping visitors so we could ensure the right buyer would find it,” said Kathryn Court, President & Publisher of Penguin Books.  “With the ability to show detailed photos of the car and write a description that really highlighted the special and unique features, AutoTrader.com’s Private Seller ad was clearly the way to go.”

Penguin Books utilized AutoTrader.com’s Private Seller options to the max to showcase the vehicle.  At www.autotrader.com/penguinmini, interested buyers will find multiple photos of the car’s interior and exterior and a description that highlights the car’s features.  The vehicle comes with AM/FM/CD, MP3 player jack, air conditioning, automatic transmission, black cloth seats, orange and black exterior paint (freshly painted) and, of course, those 18 autographs in silver pen along the dashboard, doors and steering wheel.  The car has about 15,750 miles on it and is currently located in New York City.

“When Penguin approached us to assist them in finding a buyer for this unique vehicle and for this great cause – the New York Public Library – we immediately said ‘yes’,” said AutoTrader.com General Manager of Private Seller Service and Sales Melanie Kovach.  “AutoTrader.com is all about using technology tools to connect buyers and sellers efficiently, and this is a special opportunity to do so that we’re really excited about.”

Penguin Books, like any private seller, will select the buyer with the most attractive offer. Used 2010 Mini Coopers listed for sale on AutoTrader.com range in price from about $24,000 to $30,000, depending on vehicle options and condition.

“We priced the car at the top of the price range you would find for a used 2010 Mini Cooper on AutoTrader.com because of the special and unique nature of the vehicle,” said John Fagan, VP Director of Marketing at Penguin Books.  “We’ll consider all offers, but are obviously looking to get as much for the vehicle as possible as all the proceeds benefit the New York Public Library, one of New York City’s most treasured institutions.”

About AutoTrader.com
Atlanta-based AutoTrader.com, created in 1997, is the Internet's ultimate automotive marketplace and consumer information website. AutoTrader.com aggregates in a single location millions of new cars, used cars and certified pre-owned cars from thousands of auto dealers and private sellers and is a leading online resource for auto dealers, individuals and manufacturers to advertise and market their vehicles to in-market shoppers. The company also provides a robust suite of software tools for dealers and manufacturers to help them manage and market their vehicle inventory and display advertising on the Internet. AutoTrader.com continues to grow key business metrics, including revenue, profitability and site traffic. Today, AutoTrader.com attracts more than 15 million unique monthly visitors who utilize the site to review descriptions, photos and videos of vehicles for sale; research and compare vehicles; review pricing and specials; and read auto-related content like buying and selling tips and editorial coverage of major auto shows and automotive trends. AutoTrader.com operates two other auto marketing brands, AutoTraderClassics.com and AutoTraderLatino.com. AutoTrader.com also owns used vehicle management software company vAuto. AutoTrader.com is a majority-owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises. Providence Equity Partners is a 25 percent owner of the company and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers is also an investor. For more information, please visit www.autotrader.com.

About Penguin Books
In 1935, Penguin Books were published only in the U.K. Now they’re published globally in the United States, U.K., Canada, South Africa, India, New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, China, and Korea. Penguin Books authors have won 25 Nobel Prizes, 18 National Book Awards, and 12 Pulitzer Prizes. Penguin Books is the flagship imprint of Penguin Group (USA) and includes Penguin Classics, the largest and most comprehensive list of English language classics published in the world. And now in 2010, Penguin Books—which publishes more than 300 books per year in the United States and has more than 3,600 Penguin Books and 1,500 Penguin Classics in print—is thrilled to be celebrating its 75th birthday.
Penguin Group (USA) Inc. is the U.S. member of the internationally renowned Penguin Group. Penguin Group (USA) is one of the leading U.S. adult and children’s trade book publishers, owning a wide range of imprints and trademarks, including Berkley Books, Dutton, Frederick Warne, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, Grosset & Dunlap, New American Library, Penguin, Philomel, Riverhead Books, and Viking among others. The Penguin Group is part of Pearson plc, the international media company.

Disclosure:  I did not receive any form of compensation for this post.