content: <PAGE>
  
                        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:  October 6, 1999)
  
                                 AUTOWEB.COM, INC.
              (Exact name of registrant as specified in this charter)
  
                                      Delaware
                   (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
  
            000-25577                               77-0412737
      (Commission File Number)        (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)
  
            3270 Jay Street, Building 6, Santa Clara, California 95054
              (Address of Principal Executive Offices)    (Zip Code)
  
                                  (408) 554-9552
               (Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
  
                                   Not Applicable
           (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
  <PAGE>
  
  ITEM 2.    ACQUISITION OR DISPOSITION OF ASSETS
  
       On October 6, 1999, Autoweb.com, Inc. ("Autoweb.com"), pursuant to an Asset
  Purchase Agreement dated as of September 8, 1999 by and among Autoweb.com, The
  Gale Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Seller"), Thomson Information
  Licensing Corporation, a Delaware corporation ("TILC") and THI (U.S.) Inc., a
  Delaware corporation ("THI"), acquired substantially all of the assets of
  Seller's Automotive Information Center ("AIC") division for approximately
  $20,000,000, including $16,000,000 in cash and the remainder in shares of
  Autoweb.com common stock. AIC acquires, develops, markets, distributes and
  licenses certain automotive-related data, software products and services to
  consumers, manufacturers and the media. The purchase price for the assets was
  determined by extensive negotiations between Autoweb.com and Seller. Autoweb.com
  used its working capital and capital stock for the purchase price.
  
       As part of the purchase, Autoweb.com acquired certain computer hardware and
  software and office furniture, equipment and supplies Seller used in the AIC
  business. Autoweb.com intends to continue to use such assets in the AIC
  business.
  
       A copy of the Asset Purchase Agreement is filed as Exhibit 2.01 to this
  Report and is incorporated herein by this reference.
  
  ITEM 7.    FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS
  
        (a)  Financial Statements of Business Acquired.
  
             The financial statements required to be filed will be filed by
             amendment within the time period permitted for such filing as
             specified in Form 8-K, Item 7(a)(4).
  
        (b)  Pro Forma Financial Information.
  
             The financial statements required to be filed will be filed by
             amendment within the time period permitted for such filing as
             specified in Form 8-K, Item 7(b)(2).
  
                                         2
  <PAGE>
  
        (c)  Exhibits.
  
             The following exhibits are filed herewith:
  
  
  Exhibit No.                      Description of Exhibit
  ----------                       ----------------------
  
     2.01         Asset Purchase Agreement dated as of September 8, 1999, among
                  Autoweb.com, Inc., The Gale Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation
                  ("Seller"), Thomson Information Licensing Corporation, a
                  Delaware corporation ("TILC") and THI (U.S.) Inc., a Delaware
                  corporation ("THI")
  
     4.01         Registration Rights Agreement dated as of September 8, 1999 by
                  and between Autoweb.com, Inc. and The Gale Group, Inc.
  
  --------------------------------
  
       *    Registrant will furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted schedule
            or exhibit to Exhibits 2.01 and 4.01 to the Commission upon request.
  
                                         3
  <PAGE>
  
                                    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, thereunto duly authorized.
  
  
  
  Dated:  October 12, 1999          Autoweb.com, Inc.
  
  
                                      By:  /s/ Samuel M. Hedgpeth III
                                           --------------------------
                                           Samuel M. Hedgpeth III
                                           Chief Financial Officer
  
                                        4
  <PAGE>
  
                                 INDEX TO EXHIBITS
                                 -----------------
  
  
  Exhibit No.                      Description of Exhibit
  ----------                       ----------------------
  
     2.01         Asset Purchase Agreement dated as of September 8, 1999, among
                  Autoweb.com, Inc., The Gale Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation
                  ("Seller"), Thomson Information Licensing Corporation, a
                  Delaware corporation ("TILC") and THI (U.S.) Inc., a Delaware
                  corporation ("THI")
  
     4.01         Registration Rights Agreement dated as of September 8, 1999 by
                  and between Autoweb.com, Inc. and The Gale Group, Inc.
  
  --------------------------------
  
       *    Registrant will furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted schedule
            or exhibit to Exhibits 2.01 and 4.01 to the Commission upon request.
  
                                         5
metadata_documents: [{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM 8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 5547}]
metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "AUTOWEB COM INC", "cik": "0001077009", "assigned-sic": "7500", "irs-number": "770412737", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-25577", "film-number": "99731974"}, "business-address": {"street1": "3270 JAY STREET BUILDING 6", "city": "SANTA CLARA", "state": "CA", "zip": "95054", "phone": "4085449552"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "3270 JAY STREET BUILDING 6", "city": "SANTA CLARA", "state": "CA", "zip": "95054"}}
text: 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:  October 6, 1999)
  
                                 AUTOWEB.COM, INC.
              (Exact name of registrant as specified in this charter)
  
                                      Delaware
                   (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
  
            000-25577                               77-0412737
      (Commission File Number)        (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)
  
            3270 Jay Street, Building 6, Santa Clara, California 95054
              (Address of Principal Executive Offices)    (Zip Code)
  
                                  (408) 554-9552
               (Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
  
                                   Not Applicable
           (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)
  ITEM 2.    ACQUISITION OR DISPOSITION OF ASSETS
  
       On October 6, 1999, Autoweb.com, Inc. ("Autoweb.com"), pursuant to an Asset
  Purchase Agreement dated as of September 8, 1999 by and among Autoweb.com, The
  Gale Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Seller"), Thomson Information
  Licensing Corporation, a Delaware corporation ("TILC") and THI (U.S.) Inc., a
  Delaware corporation ("THI"), acquired substantially all of the assets of
  Seller's Automotive Information Center ("AIC") division for approximately
  $20,000,000, including $16,000,000 in cash and the remainder in shares of
  Autoweb.com common stock. AIC acquires, develops, markets, distributes and
  licenses certain automotive-related data, software products and services to
  consumers, manufacturers and the media. The purchase price for the assets was
  determined by extensive negotiations between Autoweb.com and Seller. Autoweb.com
  used its working capital and capital stock for the purchase price.
  
       As part of the purchase, Autoweb.com acquired certain computer hardware and
  software and office furniture, equipment and supplies Seller used in the AIC
  business. Autoweb.com intends to continue to use such assets in the AIC
  business.
  
       A copy of the Asset Purchase Agreement is filed as Exhibit 2.01 to this
  Report and is incorporated herein by this reference.
  
  ITEM 7.    FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS
  
        (a)  Financial Statements of Business Acquired.
  
             The financial statements required to be filed will be filed by
             amendment within the time period permitted for such filing as
             specified in Form 8-K, Item 7(a)(4).
  
        (b)  Pro Forma Financial Information.
  
             The financial statements required to be filed will be filed by
             amendment within the time period permitted for such filing as
             specified in Form 8-K, Item 7(b)(2).
  
                                         2
  (c)  Exhibits.
  
             The following exhibits are filed herewith:
  
  Exhibit No.                      Description of Exhibit
  ----------                       ----------------------
  
     2.01         Asset Purchase Agreement dated as of September 8, 1999, among
                  Autoweb.com, Inc., The Gale Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation
                  ("Seller"), Thomson Information Licensing Corporation, a
                  Delaware corporation ("TILC") and THI (U.S.) Inc., a Delaware
                  corporation ("THI")
  
     4.01         Registration Rights Agreement dated as of September 8, 1999 by
                  and between Autoweb.com, Inc. and The Gale Group, Inc.
  
  --------------------------------
  
       *    Registrant will furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted schedule
            or exhibit to Exhibits 2.01 and 4.01 to the Commission upon request.
  
                                         3
  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, thereunto duly authorized.
  
  Dated:  October 12, 1999          Autoweb.com, Inc.
  
                                      By:  /s/ Samuel M. Hedgpeth III
                                           --------------------------
                                           Samuel M. Hedgpeth III
                                           Chief Financial Officer
  
                                        4
  INDEX TO EXHIBITS
                                 -----------------
  
  Exhibit No.                      Description of Exhibit
  ----------                       ----------------------
  
     2.01         Asset Purchase Agreement dated as of September 8, 1999, among
                  Autoweb.com, Inc., The Gale Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation
                  ("Seller"), Thomson Information Licensing Corporation, a
                  Delaware corporation ("TILC") and THI (U.S.) Inc., a Delaware
                  corporation ("THI")
  
     4.01         Registration Rights Agreement dated as of September 8, 1999 by
                  and between Autoweb.com, Inc. and The Gale Group, Inc.
  
  --------------------------------
  
       *    Registrant will furnish supplementally a copy of any omitted schedule
            or exhibit to Exhibits 2.01 and 4.01 to the Commission upon request.
  
                                         5