21% Increase in Auto Trader New Car Searches Reflects Rise in Private Demand

    LONDON, ENGLAND, March 12, 2013 /24-7PressRelease/ -- An increase in private demand resulted in more than 6 million unique users searching for new cars on Auto Trader last year, an increase of 21.2% compared with 2011. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders reported that new car registrations in the UK rose 5.3% in 2012 to 2,044,609 units, boosted by a 12.9% rise in private demand, to reach the highest levels since 2008. The top ten most searched new cars on Auto Trader include seven of the top ten best selling cars.*

1. BMW 3-series
2. Ford Focus
3. Volkswagen Golf
4. Ford Fiesta
5. BMW 1-series
6. Mercedes-Benz C-Class
7. Honda Civic
8. Audi A3
9. Vauxhall Astra
10. Audi A4

Nathan Coe, Group Director, Auto Trader said: "Auto Trader is now firmly established as the destination of choice for online buyers searching for new cars. For many years recognised as the primary source of used cars, Auto Trader now attracts more than 500,000 potential new car buyers each month to search and compare new cars, and view over 8,000 new cars in stock offered by our dealer customers. Search 'peaks' occur in March, July and September."

Auto Trader enhanced new car searches for consumers last year with the introduction of a new search function with new, nearly new and used car filters to simplify the process. This resulted in a 39% increase in new car leads to dealers. It also offers its dealer customers a package to help them make the most of the increase in searches for new cars. This identifies and highlights their new cars ahead of competitors in the search results and also features links to their dealership throughout the new car area of the website.

*The top ten best selling cars in 2012 were: Ford Fiesta, Vauxhall Corsa, Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra, Volkswagen Golf, Nissan Qashquai, BMW 3-series, Volkswagen Polo, Mercedes-Benz CClass, BMW 1-series.

About Auto Trader:
Auto Trader is the UK's number one motoring digital marketplace to sell your car with over 10.8 million monthly unique users, carrying out over 135 million searches on more than 330,000 new and used vehicles. Over 2.5 million people access Auto Trader via their mobile devices every month, through the mobile-optimised site and apps developed for iPhone, iPad and Android. Auto Trader is part of Trader Media Group. For more information, visit www.autotrader.co.uk.

Trader Media Group is Europe's largest specialist multi-media group and supplier of leading automotive marketing products and services. Brands included in the Trader Media Group stable include: Auto Trader, Deltapoint, RAZSOR, 2nd Byte and Autotrade-mail. Trader Media Group operates in the UK, Ireland and South Africa and is jointly owned by Guardian Media Group and Apax Partners. For more information, visit www.tradermediagroup.com

For further information, please contact:
Andrew Andersz
Trader Media Press Centre
Tel: +44 (0)1865 342104
Email: [email protected]

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