Chrome Data Reports the Top 10 Most Desired Automobiles of Q1
10 April 2000
Chrome Data Corporation Reports the Top 10 Most Desired Automobiles of the First Quarter
PORTLAND, Ore.--April 10, 2000--Chrome Data Corporation, the only independent business-to-business provider of automotive data and software for selling cars online, today announced the Chrome Top 10 list of cars and trucks researched by consumers using Chrome's pricing and configuration tool, Web Carbook(TM), via client's Web sites during the first quarter of 2000.Based on the information aggregated by Chrome Data during the first three months of the year, the 2000 Honda Accord, Honda Civic and Honda Odyssey were the top three automobiles consumers were most interested in buying. Web Carbook is used by more than 600 automotive e-commerce sites including: AutoTrader.com, Vehix.com, AOL.com, Autodaq.com, DriveOff.com, Priceline.com, AutoNationDirect.com, cars.com and UautoBid.com.
The Chrome Top 10 for the first quarter of 2000:
Year Make Model Count 2000 Honda Accord 2,192 2000 Honda Civic 2,078 2000 Honda Odyssey 1,890 2000 Nissan Xterra 1,813 2000 BMW 323 1,770 2000 Volkswagen Jetta 1,743 2000 Volkswagen Passat 1,685 2000 Ford Focus 1,638 2000 Nissan Maxima 1,485 2000 Ford Explorer 1,469
"Recent research into the use of online automotive sites suggests that these numbers are an early indicator of purchase," said Jim Adkisson, chairman of Chrome Data. "As consumers continue to flock to the dealer and portal sites to perform their automotive research, this type of information will allow manufacturers and retailers to better forecast demand."
According to Art Spinella of CNW Marketing/Research, people using the Internet to search for cars are usually no more than six months from actually making a purchase, and often much closer than that.
"If they're looking at price data, they're probably less than a month from actually buying a car," said Spinella. "If they're focusing more on the models available, and the styling features within models, then they're likely two to four months from making a purchase."
In an independent study, CNW Marketing/Research compared the pricing data of the major online automotive data sources by configuring 86 different vehicles at eight different Web sites, including Chrome client Vehix.com. Chrome's Web Carbook ranked first in data accuracy with an average price discrepancy of only one-third of one percent of the average new car price -- less than the study's margin of error. The next closest competitor was almost twice Chrome's discrepancy; five of the eight data providers gave consumers pricing information more than five times Chrome's discrepancy; and the lowest ranking competitor was off by more than a factor of ten, or nearly $1,000.
Web Carbook allows individual dealerships, Internet portals and financial institutions to provide visitors to their Web site with specifications on vehicle makes and models, standard and optional equipment, vehicle pictures, dealer cost and suggested retail price.
Chrome Data's Web site, www.chrome.com, receives millions of hits per week. Chrome uses WebTrends Enterprise Suite(TM) solution to monitor incoming traffic to its server, and provide Web site and streaming media traffic analysis, link analysis and quality control.
About Chrome Data
Chrome Data pioneered the technology behind electronic vehicle configuration and for the past 14 years has collected, analyzed and enhanced "raw" automotive data from all manufacturers. Chrome's flagship product, the desktop research, pricing and ordering tool PC Carbook(R), is widely accepted as the standard in automotive data. Chrome's Internet-based product, Web Carbook(TM), allows dealers, Internet portals, financial institutions, and insurance and warranty companies to provide visitors to their Web sites with a tool to configure cars online -- including specifications on all new vehicle makes and models, standard and optional equipment, vehicle pictures and accurate pricing. This information precisely matches manufacturers' invoice and MSRP pricing, enabling users to configure and order any vehicle sold in the U.S. with the confidence that the delivered product and price are exactly what was expected. The company is based in Portland, and may be reached at 800/936-8906. Company information is available at www.chrome.com.
Note to Editors: Chrome Data's top 10 list reflects vehicles consumers actually requested price quotes on, rather than merely browsed.
PC Carbook(R), C/D3(R), Web Carbook(TM) Chrome.com(TM)and Chrome Auto Bridge(TM)are trademarks of Chrome Data Corp.