From a CBS Marketwatch Report:

GOOD WEB DESIGN LEADS TO MORE TEST DRIVES

A well-designed manufacturer Web site can be integral in motivating automotive shoppers to visit dealer showrooms for a test drive, according to research by J.D. Power and Associates. The study found that 42 percent of respondents who rate a manufacturer’s Web site as “outstanding” indicate they are more likely to visit a showroom for a test drive than they were prior to visiting the site. Web sites, combining sight, sound and motion, are more useful than traditional brochures, according to 90 percent of respondents. Mercedes-Benz, which ranked sixth in 2001, ranked highest in the study. Other top automakers’ sites were those from Kia, BMW’s Mini, Saturn (GM), and Suzuki.