8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of

The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) March 18, 2008

Autobytel Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	0-22239	33-0711569
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)

18872 MacArthur Boulevard, Irvine, California	92612-1400
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (949) 225-4500

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

On March 18, 2008, Janet M. Thompson was appointed as director of the Company. Ms. Thompson was appointed as a Class III director. The Board of Directors has not determined on which Committees of the Board of Directors Ms. Thompson may serve at this time.

Ms. Thompson, 58, has been Executive Vice President of the Diversified Agency Services Division Omnicom Group, an advertising firm, since November 2007. Prior to that Ms. Thompson was Vice President, Marketing Nissan and Infiniti Divisions of Nissan North America from July 2004 to September 2007. From July 1999 to July 2004, Ms. Thompson was Chief Executive Officer and President of The Designory, Inc., a marketing firm owned by the Omnicom Group. Ms. Thompson held sales or marketing positions at Mazda Motor of America, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. and Chrysler Corporation from 1972 to 1994. Ms. Thompson received a B.A. in business from Western Michigan University and a M.B.A. from Detroit University.

Ms. Thompson was granted stock options to purchase 30,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, which vest on the one year anniversary of the date of grant, provided that the vesting of such options accelerates upon a change of control. Ms. Thompson has entered into an indemnification agreement with the Company.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.

EXHIBIT NO.	DESCRIPTION OF DOCUMENT
99.1	Press release, dated March 18, 2008 announcing the appointment of Ms. Thompson as director

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Autobytel Inc.
By:	/s/ Ariel Amir
	Ariel Amir, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal and Administrative Officer

Date: March 24, 2008

INDEX OF EXHIBITS

EXHIBIT NO.	DESCRIPTION OF DOCUMENT
99.1	Press release, dated March 18, 2008 announcing the appointment of Ms. Thompson as director

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

Top Automotive Marketing Veteran and Current Omnicom Group

EVP, Jan Thompson, Joins Autobytel Inc. Board of Directors

Irvine, Calif. – March 18, 2008 – Autobytel Inc. (Nasdaq: ABTL) today announced the appointment of Jan Thompson, executive vice-president, Omnicom Group, to its board of directors. Thompson’s term on the board begins immediately.

“Jan brings an extremely high-level of automotive advertising and marketing perspective to our board,” said Autobytel president and CEO Jim Riesenbach. “Her insights into, and extensive experience with, both auto dealers and manufacturers should prove invaluable as we continue to expand our advertising offerings and drive increased value to our clients and consumers.”

Thompson was appointed executive vice-president, Omnicom Group (NYSE: OMC) Diversified Agency Services (DAS) division, November 1, 2007. She is currently assigned to the Chrysler account assisting all Omnicom agencies.

She was formerly with Omnicom from 1999 to 2004 in her role as president and CEO of The Designory, an Omnicom-owned marketing services company primarily focused on the automotive industry. She was vice-president, Marketing for Nissan North America, Nissan and Infiniti Divisions, from 2004 to 2007.

During her diverse career, Thompson has also served as vice president of Marketing for Mazda, where she launched the first Miata, in 1990, and has had the distinction of being the first National Marketing Manager for the launch of Toyota’s Lexus Division from 1987 – 1989. She started her career in Detroit with Chrysler and moved to Toyota Motor Sales, USA in 1984.

Thompson was cited by Brandweek as one of the top-10 marketers of 2005, and Advertising Age included her among its listing of top-50 marketers in 2006. In 2005 Automotive News named her one the top-100 women in the auto industry.

About Autobytel Inc.

Since launching the first car-buying website in 1995, Autobytel Inc.’s mission has been to empower automotive consumers with the tools and information they need to make smart, well-informed vehicle purchasing and ownership decisions. The company has helped millions of car shoppers and generated billions of dollars in car sales for dealers. Today, the company’s innovative, consumer-driven flagship site, MyRide.com, expands the company’s mission across the automotive purchase and ownership life cycle. As the first vertical search experience for the automotive marketplace, MyRide.com is designed to help Internet-savvy consumers FIND, SEE, BUY and LEARN anything automotive and BELONG to a diverse community of people who have similar automotive interests.

By providing a convenient and comprehensive automotive consumer experience across the purchase and ownership lifecycle, Autobytel provides new value and touch-points for automotive marketers. Through MyRide.com and Autobytel’s marketing network, the company connects

dealerships with a steady, diverse stream of motivated, serious shoppers, while providing both dealers and manufacturers with precision-targeted brand and product marketing opportunities. The company’s advanced web-based advertising and marketing programs also help dealers and manufacturers build relationships with customers, as well as help them to efficiently manage and convert online business.

Contact:

Autobytel Inc. Media Relations

Melanie Webber, 949.862.3023 (melaniew@autobytel.com)

Joe Foster, Ruder Finn, 310.882.4014 (fosterj@ruderfinn.com)

Autobytel Inc. Investor Relations

Crystal Hartwell, 949.437.4755 (crystalh@autobytel.com)

Roger Pondel/Laurie Berman, PondelWilkinson Inc., 310.279.5980 (investor@pondel.com)