London, 22 December 2009 – The Ford Focus has been voted the UK’s most popular car of the decade, according to a new poll by Auto Trader. This small family car trumps sports, SUVs and city cars to take pride of place for the noughties.

Despite the company being rocked by financial issues in the past ten years, Ford has remained an iconic motoring brand, with two of its other cars – the Ford Fiesta and Ford Mondeo – also coming high in the list of most loved cars by the British public.

The Auto Trader poll, designed to analyse the key motoring trends over the past ten years, looked at categories including ‘greenest’ car and ‘beyond your wildest dreams’ car as well as top motoring personalities and popular car accessories.

Sat-nav topped the list of optional ‘extras’ that most symbolised the noughties.  Although alloy wheels and sound systems still epitomise the boy racer of many a man’s youth, the inclusion of TV screens and iPod docks in the list is a sure sign that technology has allowed cars to come a long way in the past ten years!

Range Rovers have become the ultimate celebrity car in the past decade, with the likes of Katie Price and Gordon Ramsay taking a shine to the 4×4 despite living in cities.  Other celebrities such as Julia Roberts who are keen to show their ‘green’ credentials have been seen driving the Toyota Prius, considered the most eco-friendly car of the noughties.

The Bugatti Veyron – of which only 200 models were made and are now owned by the likes of Jenson Button and Simon Cowell – topped the list of both the ‘beyond your wildest dreams’ and ‘most overpriced’ car categories. David Beckham’s beloved Rolls Royce Phantom takes second place with Jay Kay’s Ferrari Enzo lagging in fifth. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Jeremy Clarkson was considered the decade’s best motoring personality, ahead of racing legends Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton.

Matt Thompson, Marketing Director, Auto Trader, says: “From the emergence of eco-friendly cars as a viable option for consumers to the replacement of maps and asking for directions with in-car sat nav, the noughties have provided some interesting changes to the way consumers think about and drive their cars.”

###

Notes to editors:

• The poll was conducted by eDigital Research on behalf of Auto Trader.  1,889 responses were collected between 09.12.09 and 16.12.09.
• Details of the most searched-for cars of the decade on the Auto Trader website are available on request.

About Auto Trader:

Visit the new website at www.autotrader.co.uk!

AutoTrader.co.uk is the UK’s no 1 motoring website, with over 10.3 million monthly unique users, who carry out over 106 million searches on new and used vehicles*. The brand is building a competitive position across all effective channels including online, mobile and magazine. (*Source: Auto Trader Audit, January 2009).

AutoTrader.co.uk is owned by Trader Media Group, one of Europe’s largest specialist multi-media groups and provider of market leading websites and their associated magazines, including Top Marques, Bike Trader, Truck & Plant Trader, Ad Trader, Motorhome and Caravan Trader, Farmers Trader – all with the largest reach in their sectors, through web visitors and magazine readership.

Trader Media Group operates in the UK, Ireland, Italy and South Africa. The Group is looking to expand on its winning formula: giving trade customers the opportunity to choose all effective channels to market; building the service and relationship with dealers and manufacturers; and strengthening its portfolio of automotive and specialist classified titles.

Trader Media Group is jointly owned by Guardian Media Group and Apax Partners.

Contact details:

Heather Forty

PR for Auto Trader

0207 608 4658

autotrader@hotwirepr.com

• 12 million Britons unaware of the rise in VAT in 2010
• 30% say they will be forced to take a closer look at spending habits
• 55% believe the increase is an attempt to make money from taxpayers

London, 26 November 2009 – New research from Auto Trader reveals that the imminent rise in national VAT will have a significant effect on consumers in 2010, with 30% of people admitting they will be forced to reconsider their spending habits.

Confusion over the rise in VAT

National VAT, currently at 15%, is expected to return to the usual rate of 17.5% next year, yet the research found that 12 million Britons are unaware of this. The results also highlight a lack of consumer awareness over the impact the rise could have, especially on large purchases. Of those intending to buy expensive items such as televisions, holidays or cars, the majority (55%) did not plan on bringing these forward before VAT increases.

The research also exposed a lack of trust in the government’s intentions, finding that 55% of people believe the increase is an attempt to make money from taxpayers. In addition, one in 10 people expect the government to raise VAT to 20% instead of returning to 17.5%. Those questioned also felt the increase would backfire in the long term, with a quarter of people believing it will become harder for Britain to come out of the recession.

Millions could be lost on car sales

Those planning on purchasing cars are in for the biggest shock as the rise in VAT is not the only threat to consumers’ wallets. One in 10 people are unaware that the government’s car scrappage scheme, which offers £2,000 towards the cost of a brand-new vehicle when trading in a vehicle over 10 years old, comes to an end in February. With one in 20 people intending to buy a car at some point in the next three months, delaying that decision could mean UK drivers miss two opportunities to save money.

Matt Thompson, Marketing Director at Auto Trader, says: “The impending rise in VAT and the end of the car scrappage scheme make a compelling case for bringing your car purchases forward to before Christmas. Our research has proven that the public is still lacking much of the critical information on both proposals and we are highlighting these issues so that consumers can act now.”

###

Notes to editors:

• The survey was carried out on 6^th November 2009 among a statistically valid cross-section of 1530 UK adults by Opinion Matters.
• According to the Office of National Statistics, in 2007 there were 36,203,800 people aged between 16 and 59 in the UK.

About Auto Trader:

Visit the new website at www.autotrader.co.uk !

AutoTrader.co.uk is the UK’s no 1 motoring website, with over 10.3 million monthly unique users, who carry out over 106 million searches on new and used vehicles*. The brand is building a competitive position across all effective channels including online, mobile and magazine. (*Source: Auto Trader Audit, January 2009).

AutoTrader.co.uk is owned by Trader Media Group, one of Europe’s largest specialist multi-media groups and provider of market leading websites and their associated magazines, including Top Marques, Bike Trader, Truck & Plant Trader, Ad Trader, Motorhome and Caravan Trader, Farmers Trader – all with the largest reach in their sectors, through web visitors and magazine readership.

Trader Media Group operates in the UK, Ireland, Italy and South Africa. The Group is looking to expand on its winning formula: giving trade customers the opportunity to choose all effective channels to market; building the service and relationship with dealers and manufacturers; and strengthening its portfolio of automotive and specialist classified titles.

 Trader Media Group is jointly owned by Guardian Media Group and Apax Partners.

Contact details:

Heather Forty

PR for Auto Trader

0207 608 4658

autotrader@hotwirepr.com

Repairs
The AutoTrader.co.uk survey, conducted amongst more than 2,000 motorists nationwide, shows that a massive 70% of motorists will try to replace brake pads/discs, with a further 70% confident to repair broken brake lights/headlamps and 55% willing to attempt to repair faulty electric windows, suspension problems and missing/broken seatbelts.

Alarmingly, 30% of motorists will attempt to repair gearbox damage, leading to potentially dangerous or failing gearboxes if the repairs are carried out to a low standard.

The new research from AutoTrader.co.uk shows that nearly half (45%) of the UK motorists have some form of repair that needs doing to their vehicle and of these, 20% are ‘quite major’ and 5% are ‘very major’.

MOTs /Insurance
To help avoid being hit with a repair bill of their vehicles, 10% of motorists are delaying putting their car through an MOT until after its due date and a further 7% are delaying getting road tax to try and save money. An additional 7% of motorists have also downgraded their insurance policies from fully comprehensive to third party in order to reduce the cost of motoring.

Matt Thompson, Marketing Director of AutoTrader.co.uk, comments: “It is shocking that over half of the UK’s motorists are attempting to repair their vehicles themselves and risking the safety of the vehicles. These cars could become unsafe and unroadworthy and could certainly end up costing the motorist more money in the longer term.

“A qualified mechanic has spent years learning their skill and how to carry out repair work to a high safety standard – this just simply cannot be matched by a motorist attempting to save costs by doing the job themselves and could lead to all sorts of problems – both financial implications and safety issues.”

Emma Holyer, Spokesperson for Britannia Rescue said: “We are increasingly being called out by people who have broken down because they have tried to repair their car themselves. We’d advise people to stick to the knowledge level they are comfortable with and not try to attempt jobs they aren’t sure about – particularly jobs like replacing worn out brake pads or suspension problems, as these will heavily impact on the safety of the vehicle. Many modern car engines have complex electronics meaning that if you do fix a job incorrectly the whole car won’t work so you may end up with an unusable vehicle that will cost a lot more to repair than the cost of the original problem.”

Nationwide Autocentres
AutoTrader.co.uk is currently running promotions with Nationwide Autocentres that include a half price MOT, as part of Auto Trader’s Cut Car Costs campaign, which aims to help every motorist save up to £500 on the cost of motoring.

MOT Offer
With this offer, an MOT costs from just £27 at Nationwide Autocentres, which is the only chain of AA-approved garages with more than 200 MOT centers across the UK. Nationwide Autocentres offers 12 months or 12,000 miles guarantee on all work, with more ATA-trained mechanics than anywhere else and a price promise that they won’t be beaten on costs.

All motorists need to do to claim their money off is go to AutoTrader.co.uk and print off the voucher and book the deal!

AutoTrader.co.uk’s new Cut Car Costs campaign is a free of charge service that aims to help every motorist save up to £500 on the annual cost of motoring. The campaign features money-saving tips, advice and exclusive discounts to ensure that all the information motorists’ need on cutting their costs can be found quickly and easily.

AutoTrader.co.uk is the world of cars made easy – from new and used cars to insurance and finance, along with advice and solutions to help reduce the cost of motoring.

- Ends -

Notes to Editor:

• AutoTrader.co.uk is the UK’s no 1 motoring website, with over 10.3 million monthly unique users, who carry out over 106 million searches on new and used vehicles*. The brand is building a competitive position across all effective channels including online, mobile and magazine. (*Source: Auto Trader Audit, January 2009).

• AutoTrader.co.uk is owned by Trader Media Group, one of Europe’s largest specialist multi-media groups and provider of market leading websites and their associated magazines, including Top Marques, Bike Trader, Truck & Plant Trader, Ad Trader, Motorhome and Caravan Trader, Farmers Trader – all with the largest reach in their sectors, through web visitors and magazine readership.

• Trader Media Group operates in the UK, Ireland, Italy and South Africa. The Group is looking to expand on its winning formula: giving trade customers the opportunity to choose all effective channels to market; building the service and relationship with dealers and manufacturers; and strengthening its portfolio of automotive and specialist classified titles.

• Trader Media Group is jointly owned by Guardian Media Group and Apax Partners

For further information, please contact:

Caroline Burnell
The Drum Consultancy
18, Soho Square
London W1D 3QL

Tel: 020 7025 8044
Fax: 020 7025 8100
Mob: 07920 140663
www.thedrumconsultancy.co.uk

The new research shows that one in three (33%) motorists will be encouraged to buy a new or nearly new car due to the scrappage scheme, with 40% looking to buy a car within the next 12 months. More than a quarter of those motorists surveyed own a vehicle that is 9 years old or older and currently, AutoTrader.co.uk has over 23,000 vehicles advertised that could potentially qualify for the new scheme.

The research, conducted amongst nearly 1,400 UK motorists nationwide in April 2009, shows that:
- 10% are looking to buy a brand new car
- One quarter (25%) plan to buy a nearly new car, up to one year old
- Nearly 15% are looking to purchase a smaller vehicle than what they currently own
- 60% will stick to the same car size
- Just over half (53%) have a budget up to £10,000
- 30% have a budget up to £20,000.

AutoTrader.co.uk welcomes and supports the new scrappage scheme and believes the solution to the problems for the car industry lies in stimulating consumer demand and regaining consumer confidence – part of which is the new scheme.

AutoTrader.co.uk has published a complete and comprehensive guide to the new scheme, which will be supported by dedicated features in Auto Trader magazine. Articles will detail the full process for motorists and carry in-depth information on the cars eligible under the scheme. AutoTrader.co.uk also offers a new car search, with over 9,000 cars for sale, which means motorists can start the buying process, as well as identify further ways to keep their motoring costs down with a full post-Budget analysis and money saving advice on AutoTrader.co.uk.

Matt Thompson, Marketing Director at AutoTrader.co.uk, comments: “We are delighted that the Government has approved plans to introduce the new Vehicle Scrappage Incentive Scheme and we fully support this initiative. We will help motorists take advantage of the new scheme, giving them the largest choice of new and nearly new vehicles in one place as the UK’s biggest motoring portal.

“Right now, we have over 23,000 vehicles on our site that could potentially qualify for the scrappage scheme. Now it is going ahead, we will communicate to all motorists who are advertising vehicles that qualify; provide an easy guide to the scheme for their qualifying new and used vehicles; and introduce motorists to their appropriate local dealer.

“We will also support the new scheme with our dedicated content. Our new car search offers over 9,000 cars for sale and is a great place to search for new economical vehicles that qualify for the scheme. With over 10m motorists using the Auto Trader site each month, combined with the fact that we do business most of the UK dealers – we will play a big part in helping to facilitate the scheme. AutoTrader.co.uk’s newcar area has the most new and nearly new cars online, so motorists can search for vehicles quickly and easily.

“We believe this initiative can go even further than industry experts predict to help motorists and dealers during this period of economic difficulty. This is the best solution we’ve seen because it is targeted at the motorist and we have evidence already from Germany that it actually makes a material difference.

“We are keen to hear what motorists have to say about the scheme and how it affects them – users can visit http://autotraderblog.co.uk/ to share their opinions and experiences with other drivers.”

AutoTrader.co.uk is the world of cars made easy – from new and used cars to insurance and finance, along with advice and solutions to help reduce the cost of motoring.

- Ends -

Notes to Editor:

• AutoTrader.co.uk is the UK’s no 1 motoring website, with over 10.3 million monthly unique users, who carry out over 106 million searches on new and used vehicles*. The brand is building a competitive position across all effective channels including online, mobile and magazine. (*Source: Auto Trader Audit, January 2009).

• AutoTrader.co.uk is owned by Trader Media Group, one of Europe’s largest specialist multi-media groups and provider of market leading websites and their associated magazines, including Top Marques, Bike Trader, Truck & Plant Trader, Ad Trader, Motorhome and Caravan Trader, Farmers Trader – all with the largest reach in their sectors, through web visitors and magazine readership.

• Trader Media Group operates in the UK, Ireland, Italy and South Africa. The Group is looking to expand on its winning formula: giving trade customers the opportunity to choose all effective channels to market; building the service and relationship with dealers and manufacturers; and strengthening its portfolio of automotive and specialist classified titles.

• Trader Media Group is jointly owned by Guardian Media Group and Apax Partners

For further information, please contact:
Karen Hughes/Caroline Burnell
The Drum Consultancy
Tel: 020 7025 8044
Fax: 020 7025 8100
Email: caroline@thedrumconsultancy.co.uk

Auto Trader believes the solution to the problems for the car industry lies in stimulating consumer demand and regaining consumer confidence – part of which is the Vehicle Scrappage Incentive Scheme.

The scheme is designed to allow owners of used cars and light used vans producing more than 150g/km CO2 and more than eight years old to be entitled to a £2,000 discount on the purchase of a new or nearly new car or van, which is bought via a dealership.

Owners of the old vehicles would have to deliver it to a special car recycling plant to receive a certificate of scrapping, which they would then hand into a dealer to receive the Government-funded £2,000 discount.

A similar scheme in Germany, created to encourage motorists to scrap old cars and buy new ones, has already boosted sales by almost a quarter in February 2009, which was the highest level for the month of February in 10 years and has been hailed a huge economic success.

Matt Thompson, Marketing Director at Auto Trader, comments: “We are delighted that the Government has approved plans to introduce the new Vehicle Scrappage Incentive Scheme. We think we can also add a great deal as the no1 motoring marketplace as we reach most motorists and do business with virtually every UK dealer.

“Right now we have over 20,000 vehicles on our site that would qualify. Now that the scheme is approved, we will communicate to all motorists on Auto Trader whose vehicle qualifies, provide an easy guide to the scheme and introduce them to their appropriate local dealer if they were interested. We will also support the Government by communicating the scheme either directly to motorists or through our editorial pages – with over 10m motorists using the Auto Trader site each month we could play a big part in making this scheme a success.

“We will also work with dealers to clearly ‘badge’ nearly new cars that qualify and we are also looking into other tools that will help dealers to take advantage of this new scheme.

“We believe this initiative can go even further than industry experts predict to help motorists and dealers during this period of economic difficulty. This is the best solution we’ve seen because it is targeted at the motorist and we have evidence already from Germany that it actually makes a material difference.”

AutoTrader.co.uk is the world of cars made easy – from new and used cars to insurance and finance, along with advice and solutions to help reduce the cost of motoring.

- Ends -

Notes to Editor:

• AutoTrader.co.uk is the UK’s no 1 motoring website, with over 10.3 million monthly unique users, who carry out over 106 million searches on new and used vehicles*. The brand is building a competitive position across all effective channels including online, mobile and magazine. (*Source: Auto Trader Audit, January 2009).

• AutoTrader.co.uk is owned by Trader Media Group, one of Europe’s largest specialist multi-media groups and provider of market leading websites and their associated magazines, including Top Marques, Bike Trader, Truck & Plant Trader, Ad Trader, Motorhome and Caravan Trader, Farmers Trader – all with the largest reach in their sectors, through web visitors and magazine readership.

• Trader Media Group operates in the UK, Ireland, Italy and South Africa. The Group is looking to expand on its winning formula: giving trade customers the opportunity to choose all effective channels to market; building the service and relationship with dealers and manufacturers; and strengthening its portfolio of automotive and specialist classified titles.

• Trader Media Group is jointly owned by Guardian Media Group and Apax Partners

For further information, please contact:
Karen Hughes/Caroline Burnell
The Drum Consultancy
Tel:  020 7025 8044
Fax:  020 7025 8100
Email: caroline@thedrumconsultancy.co.uk

Steven Gerrard’s Modified Car:
Auto Trader has helped to sell England footballer Steven Gerrard’s modified car just days after the Range Rover was highlighted on the website, with news of the vehicle for sale spreading as far as Turkey!

But Gerrard’s vehicle isn’t the first celebrity car to be advertised on Auto Trader – below is a round-up of some of the A-list cars that have been up for sale on Auto Trader:

Richard Hammond’s Top Gear Polo – Feb 09
The Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion driven by Top Gear star Richard Hammond on his epic hyper-mile trek was up for sale on Auto Trader in February 2009. The Polo, which covered 5,500 miles was up for £11,990.

Joe Calzaghe’s 205mph BMW M5 for sale – Nov 08
A 205mph derestricted BMW M5 belonging to boxing phenomenon Joe Calzaghe was up for sale on Auto Trader in November 2008. The BMW M5, which had just 2,500 miles on the clock, was for sale through Gwent-based car dealer 1st 4 Cars Wales for £49,995.

Wayne Rooney’s Mercedes G55 AMG for sale – Oct 08
A special edition 476bhp Mercedes G55 AMG off-roader which had covered just 14,000 miles and was previously owned by England’s midweek scoring sensation Wayne Rooney, was up for sale on Auto Trader in October 2008 with Nottinghamshire-based luxury car dealer Wheelhouse for £59,995.

Rod Stewart’s Ferrari F430 for sale – Oct 08
Top-selling musician Rod Stewart was the first owner of a stunning Ferrari F430 Spider for sale on Auto Trader in October 2008. The Ferrari F430 Spider cost more than £145,000 when it was new, but was for sale for £89,995.

Chris Evans’ Ferrari 550 for sale – Sept 08
The Ferrari 550 Maranello which Chris Evans filled with roses and gave to Billie Piper as he proposed to her was for sale on Auto Trader in September 2008. The Ferrari 550 Maranello was priced at £44,995.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Bentley Continental for sale – Sept 08
Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo’s Bentley Continental GTC was for sale on Auto Trader in September 2008 with Bolton-based dealer Oakwood for £99,995. He was the only owner of the 2007 Bentley Continental GTC, which he was regularly photographed in as his daily runaround.

Boxing star Prince Naseem’s Porsche for sale – Aug 08
Former world champion boxer “Prince” Naseem Hamed’s old Porsche Boxster was for sale on Auto Trader in August 2008. The car was fitted with Prince Naseem’s personalised number plate: P2 NAS and was up for sale for just £9,995.

F1 star Eddie Irvine’s BMW Z1 for sale – July 08
A rare BMW Z1 previously owned by former Ferrari F1 racing driver Eddie Irvine was for sale on Auto Trader in July 2008. He was the first owner of the rare BMW Z1, and bought the two-seat roadster brand new in 1991. The piece of motoring history was up for sale for just £15,995.

Sir Alan Sugar’s Rolls-Royce Phantom for sale – July 08
A Rolls-Royce Phantom previously owned by The Apprentice star Sir Alan Sugar which regularly appeared in the hit BBC show The Apprentice, was for sale on Auto Trader in July 2008 from Cheshire-based Sytner Rolls-Royce for £179,000.

Boxing champ Amir Khan’s BMW 6 Series for sale – April 08
A BMW 6 Series Convertible previously owned by undefeated Commonwealth boxing champion Amir Khan was for sale on Auto Trader in April 2008 for £38,995.

Matt Thompson, Group Marketing Director at Auto Trader, comments: “Auto Trader features many celebrity cars, previously owned by A-listers from politicians to rock stars and footballers. We’ve featured cars owned by Sir Alan Sugar, David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, Mike Tyson, Frank Sinatra, Jeremy Clarkson and even the Sultan of Brunei. Often these are specially modified cars that have had many thousands of pounds of extras lavished on them, including uprated stereos, huge wheels and bodykits.

“Despite the doom and gloom in the market, there are still plenty of motorists looking to buy a new or used car and we have already seen record numbers of motorists using www.autotrader.co.uk this year, with over 10.2 million visitors in February 2009. This is great news for private sellers, dealers, manufacturers and celebrities!”

Auto Trader is the world of cars made easy – from new and used cars to insurance and finance, along with advice and solutions to help reduce the cost of motoring.

- Ends -
Notes to Editor:

• Auto Trader is the UK’s no 1 motoring website and magazine, with over 10.3 million monthly unique users, who carry out over 106 million searches on new and used vehicles*. Auto Trader also publishes 12 regional magazines across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. The brand is building a competitive position across all effective channels including the online, magazine and mobile. (*Source: Auto Trader Audit, January 2009).

• Auto Trader is owned by Trader Media Group, one of Europe’s largest specialist multi-media groups and provider of market leading websites and their associated magazines, including Top Marques, Bike Trader, Truck & Plant Trader, Ad Trader, Motorhome and Caravan Trader, Farmers Trader – all with the largest reach in their sectors, through web visitors and magazine readership.

• Trader Media Group operates in the UK, Ireland, Italy and South Africa. The Group is looking to expand on its winning formula: giving trade customers the opportunity to choose all effective channels to market; building the service and relationship with dealers and manufacturers; and strengthening its portfolio of automotive and specialist classified titles.

• Trader Media Group is jointly owned by Guardian Media Group and Apax Partners
For further information, please contact:
Karen Hughes/Caroline Burnell
The Drum Consultancy
Tel:  020 7025 8044
Fax:  020 7025 8100
Email: karenh@thedrumconsultancy.co.uk

 New research from Auto Trader shows that over 50% (51%) of motorists are considering purchasing an environmentally-friendly car and 42% will ensure that their next car will have lower CO2 emissions than their current vehicle.

The survey, conducted amongst nearly 2,000 UK motorists, shows that for many motorists, the rising cost of fuel and vehicle tax is driving them to consider green cars that have better MPG and lower fuel emissions.

Green Vehicles: Cost Of Motoring:
According to the results, 70% of motorists would choose an environmentally friendly car over a standard one if the fuel economy was good, if the road tax/congestion charges were cheaper (62%) and if the performance of a ‘green’ car was as good as a standard car (60%).

Almost two thirds of motorists (63%) will consider the environmental impact when researching their next car, but price is still the most important factor for 85% of motorists. However, fuel consumption is also an important consideration for 77%, followed by the actual performance of the car (66%) and the level of CO2 emissions (42%).

Green Vehicles: Bio-Fuel Cars And Hybrid Vehicles:
Nearly 45% of motorists are currently considering purchasing a biofuel-capable car for their next vehicle and 40% are considering buying a hybrid. This highlights the shifting perceptions of drivers towards environmentally-friendly cars.

Matt Thompson, Group Marketing Director at Auto Trader, comments: “It’s no surprise that more British motorists than ever before are seriously considering alternatively fuelled vehicles for their next car.

“It is important that manufacturers recognise the shifting demands of motorists and respond accordingly with low emission, high MPG vehicles in a low tax band.

“We have created a whole section on AutoTrader.co.uk dedicated to green cars, which gives advice, news and features including the best green cars to suit every budget. Take a look through our advice on green cars at Auto Trader.”

Green Cars: Vehicle Manufacturers:
In terms of which car manufacturer consumers associate with green motoring, Toyota came out on top, with 26% of motorists favouring the brand, followed by:
- Honda (20%)
- BMW (9%)
- Volkswagen (6%)
- Lexus (3%)

However, 40% of motorists do not feel that manufacturers are doing enough to ensure more green cars are made, with 30% believing they could do more. Nearly 45% do not feel that the Government is doing enough either, with a quarter saying that the Government is doing enough, but could do more. However, over 60% of motorists (61%) do not believe that the Government should penalise driver’s of ‘gas guzzlers’ more via high taxes, to encourage the use of green driving.

Six of the best tax-free cars according to Auto Trader:

Ford Fiesta ECOnetic
Price: £11,595
The three-door Ford Fiesta 1.6-litre Duratorq TDCi emits 98g/km of CO2 and has an average fuel consumption figure of 76.3mpg.

Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion
Price: £12,093 – £13,478
The Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion was one of the first green cars made available in the UK and is still one of the most frugal – with 99g/km CO2 emissions and an average fuel consumption figure of 74.3mpg.

Smart Fortwo CDi
Price: £7,748
It boasts an average 83.1mpg, emits just 88g/km of CO2 and falls into insurance group 2.

Toyota iQ
Price: £9,295 – £11,495
The entry-level model includes 15-inch alloy wheels, electric mirrors, privacy glass, steering wheel-mounted CD controls, air-con, a trip computer and a leather steering wheel.

Seat Ibiza Ecomotive
Price: £10,765 – £11,380
The Seat Ibiza Ecomotive emits 99g/km of CO2 emissions and can run for a combined 74.3mpg.
The stylish supermini can also go from 0-60mph in 12.8 seconds, has a top speed of 109mph and falls into insurance group 5.

Tesla Roadster
Price: £81,000
Capable of more than 125mph, the Tesla Roadster goes from a 0-60mph in 3.9 seconds and is the fastest electric road car currently on sale. With an €89,000 price tag (£81,000) and limited production run of 250, the Roadster arrives on UK shores in May 2009.

Auto Trader is the world of cars made easy – from new and used cars to insurance and finance, along with advice and solutions to help reduce the cost of motoring.

- Ends -
Notes to Editor:

• Auto Trader is the UK’s no 1 motoring website and magazine, with over 10.3 million monthly unique users, who carry out over 106 million searches on new and used vehicles*. Auto Trader also publishes 12 regional magazines across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. The brand is building a competitive position across all effective channels including the online, magazine and mobile. (*Source: Auto Trader Audit, January 2009). 

• Auto Trader is owned by Trader Media Group, one of Europe’s largest specialist multi-media groups and provider of market leading websites and their associated magazines, including Top Marques, Bike Trader, Truck & Plant Trader, Ad Trader, Motorhome and Caravan Trader, Farmers Trader – all with the largest reach in their sectors, through web visitors and magazine readership.

• Trader Media Group operates in the UK, Ireland, Italy and South Africa. The Group is looking to expand on its winning formula: giving trade customers the opportunity to choose all effective channels to market; building the service and relationship with dealers and manufacturers; and strengthening its portfolio of automotive and specialist classified titles.

• Trader Media Group is jointly owned by Guardian Media Group and Apax Partners
For further information, please contact:
Karen Hughes/Caroline Burnell
The Drum Consultancy
Tel:  020 7025 8044
Fax:  020 7025 8100
Email: karenh@thedrumconsultancy.co.uk

The survey, conducted amongst nearly 2,000 UK motorists, shows that for many motorists, the rising cost of fuel and vehicle tax is driving them to consider cars that have better MPG and lower fuel emissions.

According to the results, 70% of motorists would choose an environmentally friendly car over a standard one if the fuel economy was good, if the road tax/congestion charges were cheaper (62%) and if the performance of a ‘green’ car was as good as a standard car (60%).

Almost two thirds of motorists (63%) will consider the environmental impact when researching their next car, but price is still the most important factor for 85% of motorists. However, fuel consumption is also an important consideration for 77%, followed by the actual performance of the car (66%) and the level of CO2 emissions (42%).

Nearly 45% of motorists are currently considering purchasing a biofuel-capable car for their next vehicle and 40% are considering buying a hybrid. This highlights the shifting perceptions of drivers towards environmentally-friendly cars.

Matt Thompson, Group Marketing Director at Auto Trader, comments: “It’s no surprise that more British motorists than ever before are seriously considering alternatively fuelled vehicles for their next car.

“It is important that manufacturers recognise the shifting demands of motorists and respond accordingly with low emission, high MPG vehicles in a low tax band.

“We have created a whole section on AutoTrader.co.uk dedicated to green cars, which gives advice, news and features including the best green cars to suit every budget. Take a look through our advice on green cars at AutoTrader.co.uk/EDITORIAL/goinggreen.”

In terms of which car manufacturer consumers associate with ‘green’ motoring, Toyota came out on top, with 26% of motorists favouring the brand, followed by:
- Honda (20%)
- BMW (9%)
- Volkswagen (6%)
- Lexus (3%)

However, 40% of motorists do not feel that manufacturers are doing enough to ensure more cars are ‘green’, with 30% believing they could do more. Nearly 45% do not feel that the Government is doing enough either, with a quarter saying that the Government is doing enough, but could do more. However, over 60% of motorists (61%) do not believe that the Government should penalise driver’s of ‘gas guzzlers’ more via high taxes, to encourage the use of ‘green’ motoring.

Fig One: Six of the best tax-free vehicles according to Auto Trader:

Ford Fiesta ECOnetic
Price: £11,595
The three-door Ford Fiesta 1.6-litre Duratorq TDCi emits 98g/km of CO2 and has an average fuel consumption figure of 76.3mpg.

Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion
Price: £12,093 – £13,478
The Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion was one of the first green cars made available in the UK and is still one of the most frugal – with 99g/km CO2 emissions and an average fuel consumption figure of 74.3mpg.

Smart Fortwo CDi
Price: £7,748
It boasts an average 83.1mpg, emits just 88g/km of CO2 and falls into insurance group 2.

Toyota iQ
Price: £9,295 – £11,495
The entry-level model includes 15-inch alloy wheels, electric mirrors, privacy glass, steering wheel-mounted CD controls, air-con, a trip computer and a leather steering wheel.

Seat Ibiza Ecomotive
Price: £10,765 – £11,380
The Seat Ibiza Ecomotive emits 99g/km of CO2 emissions and can run for a combined 74.3mpg.
The stylish supermini can also go from 0-60mph in 12.8 seconds, has a top speed of 109mph and falls into insurance group 5.

Tesla Roadster
Price: £81,000
Capable of more than 125mph, the Tesla Roadster goes from a 0-60mph in 3.9 seconds and is the fastest electric road car currently on sale. With an €89,000 price tag (£81,000) and limited production run of 250, the Roadster arrives on UK shores in May 2009.

Auto Trader is the world of cars made easy – from new and used cars to insurance and finance, along with advice and solutions to help reduce the cost of motoring.

- Ends -
Notes to Editor:

• Auto Trader is the UK’s no 1 motoring website and magazine, with over 10.3 million monthly unique users, who carry out over 106 million searches on new and used vehicles*. Auto Trader also publishes 12 regional magazines across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. The brand is building a competitive position across all effective channels including the online, magazine and mobile. (*Source: Auto Trader Audit, January 2009). 

• Auto Trader is owned by Trader Media Group, one of Europe’s largest specialist multi-media groups and provider of market leading websites and their associated magazines, including Top Marques, Bike Trader, Truck & Plant Trader, Ad Trader, Motorhome and Caravan Trader, Farmers Trader – all with the largest reach in their sectors, through web visitors and magazine readership.

• Trader Media Group operates in the UK, Ireland, Italy and South Africa. The Group is looking to expand on its winning formula: giving trade customers the opportunity to choose all effective channels to market; building the service and relationship with dealers and manufacturers; and strengthening its portfolio of automotive and specialist classified titles.

• Trader Media Group is jointly owned by Guardian Media Group and Apax Partners
For further information, please contact:
Karen Hughes/Caroline Burnell
The Drum Consultancy
Tel:  020 7025 8044
Fax:  020 7025 8100
Email: karenh@thedrumconsultancy.co.uk
 

Sharp rises in vehicle depreciation and slow sales have pushed down used car prices in recent months, making many vehicles more affordable than ever before. Auto Trader has seen huge growth in searches for cars in the Luxury segment, up by a staggering 101% in January 2009 from January 2008, as well as Luxury Sports cars (up 54%) and SUVs (up 54%).

Whilst mortgage repayments have plummeted due to interest rate cuts, petrol prices have stabilised and car prices have dropped, Auto Trader has seen a huge increase in demand and has recorded an unprecedented number of motorists to its website in January 2009, which topped 10.3 million visitors, up by 20% on January 2008.

Auto Trader’s new data suggests that those motorists who have the money as now looking for a bargain in what have traditionally been very expensive car segments. The increase in interest for Luxury cars has caused a rise of nearly 150,000 extra searches for the BMW 7 Series (up 68%) and 124,000 for the Mercedes Benz S Class (up 65%).

Fig One: Jan 08 vs Jan 09 Search Data – Executive, Luxury, Luxury Sports, MPV and SUV:

Fig Two: Jan 08 vs Jan 09 Search Data – City, Lower Medium, Small Sports, Supermini, Upper Medium:

Matt Thompson, Group Marketing Director at Auto Trader, comments: “There is so much doom and gloom right now, it is good to talk about an upside for a change -  our website shows there has never been a better time to buy a car and that motorists are beginning to take advantage.  There is talk of a ‘sale of the century’ as used cars become more affordable, plus manufacturers and dealers are also offering great discounts, finance schemes and incentives for new cars.
“We have seen amazing offers across all types of used vehicles on Auto Trader, with savings of up to £5,000 for a Suzuki Swift 1.5 litre GLX – we have great examples online for an ‘06’ plate with 50,000 miles on the clock, advertised for just £4,995 and savings of over £9,000 for a ‘55’ plate Seat Leon – we have found TFSI Sport model advertised for just £6,705, despite this costing in excess of £16,000 new.

“But if it is a new car that motorists are looking for, there are still some fantastic bargains available as manufacturers and dealers are slashing thousands of pounds off old models to make way for new cars, such as the revamped Ford Fiesta. The average saving is £3,337 in some of the best new car offers available on Auto Trader currently. There are also great finance offers from manufacturers and dealers available at the moment, such as PCP and special loan arrangements, so there really isn’t a better time to buy a car.

“At Auto Trader, we are committed to helping motorists save money on the annual cost of motoring. Our Cut Car Costs initiative aims to help every motorist save up to £500 on the annual cost of motoring, as well as providing money-saving tips, advice and exclusive discounts – all available on our website.”

Auto Trader’s new Cut Car Costs campaign – http://www.autotrader.co.uk/CARS/cut_car_costs/cut_car_costs.jsp – is a free of charge service that aims to help every motorist save money on the annual cost of motoring.
Auto Trader is the world of cars made easy – from new and used cars to insurance and finance, along with advice and solutions to help reduce the cost of motoring.
- Ends -
Notes to Editor:

• Auto Trader is the UK’s no 1 motoring website and magazine, with over 10.3 million monthly unique users, who carry out over 93 million searches on new and used vehicles*. Auto Trader also publishes 13 regional magazines across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. The brand is building a competitive position across all effective channels including the online, magazine and mobile. (*Source: Auto Trader Audit, March 2008).

• Auto Trader is owned by Trader Media Group, one of Europe’s largest specialist multi-media groups and provider of market leading websites and their associated magazines, including Top Marques, Bike Trader, Truck & Plant Trader, Ad Trader, Motorhome and Caravan Trader, Farmers Trader – all with the largest reach in their sectors, through web visitors and magazine readership.

• Trader Media Group operates in the UK, Ireland, Italy and South Africa. The Group is looking to expand on its winning formula: giving trade customers the opportunity to choose all effective channels to market; building the service and relationship with dealers and manufacturers; and strengthening its portfolio of automotive and specialist classified titles.

• Trader Media Group is jointly owned by Guardian Media Group and Apax Partners
For further information, please contact:
Karen Hughes/Caroline Burnell
The Drum Consultancy
Tel:  020 7025 8044
Fax:  020 7025 8100
Email: caroline@thedrumconsultancy.co.uk

Auto Trader, the UK’s no 1 motoring website and magazine, has appointed Sapient and ThoughtWorks to help design and deliver a new website and Web 2.0 platform in the first half of 2009.  For consumers, the site further streamlines finding relevant motoring information through significantly improved search solution, improved dealer and private interfaces and a brand new home-page – some of the key things planned for the first launch in Q2 of 2009. 

By providing a variety of interactive and consulting services, Sapient will broaden the user engagement for the new Auto Trader site based on a Web 2.0 platform.  This will be achieved through a number of initiatives notably around SEO and CMS that will not only drive more traffic to the website, but also enable users to interact more with ‘The World of Motoring’ proposition.   Other services provided by Sapient include digital strategy, creative vision and user experience.

Auto Trader has also appointed ThoughtWorks to work with its internal team and Sapient to build the new site using Agile methodologies. Focusing on releasing business and User value, ThoughtWorks will deliver functionality early and often, as well as helping to seed Agile best practice into Auto Trader’s internal development teams. ThoughtWorks is providing expertise in analysis and project management through to development and testing.

Dominic Collins, Group Director of New Media at Trader Media Group comments: “We are delighted to be working with Sapient and ThoughtWorks to achieve our Web 2.0 objectives, as they both have a great deal of expertise in this area and are a valuable asset in helping us to create an engaging and interactive site for our customers with the latest innovative technology.

“Our approach has been to create a single blended team using expertise from Sapient, ThoughtWorks and Auto Trader. This allows us to leverage the unique strengths of both these organisations to not only deliver the new site, but also to develop our own in house capability.

“We are working hard on the new website to ensure that it continues to deliver the excellent service that Auto Trader offers and is combined with the latest technology and usability features to make searching for a vehicle on AutoTrader.co.uk easier and quicker than ever before.“

Nigel Vaz, Vice President responsible for Sapient Interactive Europe, commented: “Our expertise combines strategy, creative and technology and has allowed us to work with one of the largest online properties to help it connect with its customers in a more meaningful way.  Auto Trader 2.0 will be the next generation motoring portal , where the experience is the brand and the combined proposition of search and content provides a compelling reason for users to return every day. ”

Nick Hines, UK Managing Director of ThoughtWorks, commented: “We love tackling complex technical challenges, and helping clients innovate with technology – so we’re very excited to be the technology partner for Auto Trader in this critical project.

“Auto Trader is a leading brand on the web and we’re delighted to be working with them as they define what the world of motoring will look like online.”

Auto Trader is the world of cars made easy – from new and used cars to insurance and finance, along with advice and solutions to help reduce the cost of motoring.

- Ends -
Notes to Editor:

Auto Trader:
• Auto Trader is the UK’s no 1 motoring website and magazine, with over 10.3 million monthly unique users, who carry out over 93 million searches on new and used vehicles*. Auto Trader also publishes 13 regional magazines across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. The brand is building a competitive position across all effective channels including the online, magazine and mobile. (*Source: Auto Trader Audit, March 2008). 

• Auto Trader is owned by Trader Media Group, one of Europe’s largest specialist multi-media groups and provider of market leading websites and their associated magazines, including Top Marques, Bike Trader, Truck & Plant Trader, Ad Trader, Motorhome and Caravan Trader, Farmers Trader – all with the largest reach in their sectors, through web visitors and magazine readership.

• Trader Media Group operates in the UK, Ireland, Italy and South Africa. The Group is looking to expand on its winning formula: giving trade customers the opportunity to choose all effective channels to market; building the service and relationship with dealers and manufacturers; and strengthening its portfolio of automotive and specialist classified titles.

• Trader Media Group is jointly owned by Guardian Media Group and Apax Partners

Sapient:
• Sapient, a global services firm, operates two groups–Sapient Interactive and Sapient Consulting–that help clients compete, evolve and grow in an increasingly complex marketplace.

• Sapient Interactive provides brand and marketing strategy, award-winning creative work, web design and development and emerging media expertise. Sapient Consulting provides business and IT strategy, process and systems design, package implementation and custom development, as well as outsourcing services such as testing, maintenance and support.

• Sapient’s passion for client success–evidenced by its ability to foster collaboration, drive innovation and solve challenging problems–is the subject of case studies on leadership and organizational behaviour used by MBA students at both Harvard and Yale.

• Leading clients, including BP, Essent Energie, Hilton International, Janus, Sony Electronics and Verizon, rely on the company’s unique approach to drive growth and market momentum. Headquartered in Boston, Sapient operates across North America, Europe and India. For more information, please visit www.sapient.com.
ThoughtWorks:

• ThoughtWorks, Inc. (www.thoughtworks.com) is a global IT consultancy providing systems development, consulting, and transformation services to Global 1000 companies.

• The company’s pioneering approach, which includes industry-acclaimed Agile and Lean best practices, helps CIOs maximise investment performance across a portfolio of complex, business critical applications, while reducing time and risk.

• ThoughtWorks’ 1,000 professionals serve clients from offices in Australia, Canada, China, India, the United Kingdom and the United States.

• ThoughtWorks Studios is the company’s specialist product division, which develops the next generation of tools for custom software development.

For further information, please contact:
Karen Hughes/Caroline Burnell
The Drum Consultancy
Tel:  020 7025 8044
Fax:  020 7025 8100
Email: karenh@thedrumconsultancy.co.uk