NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 28, 2005--Automotive Web sites often are thought of as a man's domain, but women are the majority to several sites delivering information about automotive finance, registration and vehicle insurance.

According to Hitwise, the world's leading online competitive intelligence service, women comprised 40 percent of visits to automotive Web sites for the four weeks ending March 19, 2005. While they are slightly underrepresented in the overall auto category, women are far more likely to visit sites like AmeriCredit (www.americredit.com), AAA (www.aaa.com), NASCAR Store (store.nascar.com), Department of Motor Vehicles Guide (www.dmv.org), and Esurance (www.esurance.com).

In contrast to women's preferences, men are more likely to visit online auctions, forums and enthusiast groups. For the four weeks ending March 19, 2005, men comprised more than 70 percent of visitors to three major auto auction sites: Manheim Online (www.manheim.com), Insurance Auto Auctions (www.iaai-bid.com), and Copart Salvage Auto Auctions (www.copart.com). Males comprised 63 percent of the audience to eBay's auto-auction site.

Also claiming a large share of male visitors were Honda-tech.com, a technical forum for Honda and Acura, and VW Vortex (www.vwvortex.com), a Volkswagen enthusiast site.

"The higher tendency of men to seek out car sites geared to knowledgeable enthusiasts would be expected, however the fact that women are comprising the clear majority to many other major auto segments is a valuable insight," said Bill Tancer, vice president of research, Hitwise. "Marketers must take note of these nuances, and adapt their products and messaging accordingly."

Women Attracted to Web Sites of Practical Car Brands
When it comes to auto manufacturers, women comprise the majority of visitors to the sites of Saturn (www.saturn.com), Hyundai (www.hyundai-motors.com) and Kia (www.kia.com). Conversely, men comprise a majority of visitors to sites of luxury brands: Ferrari (www.ferrariworld.com), Land Rover (www.landroverusa.com), Porsche (www.us.porsche.com), BMW (www.bmwusa.com), and Jaguar (www.jaguarusa.com). The one exception to this division is the BMW Mini (www.mini.com), whose audience is mostly women.
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Top 5 Automotive & Manufacturers Web Sites* with the highest
proportion of Males and Females
Period - 4 Weeks Ending March 19, 2005

*From top 100 sites for specified category. Does not include car rental sites, duplicate sites, or sites for motorcycle, RV, or parts manufacturers.

To request a copy of the Hitwise online Automotive Report, which includes valuable insights and trends on the online automotive industry, please visit http://www.hitwise.com/contact/rrp.html?ac=pr&report=auto