Online automotive spending now estimated to be between 12% and 15% worldwide

As much as $4.84B globally

US online automotive spending projected to hit $2.8B this year, equaling 7.6% of automotive ad budgets

US online automotive spending projected to pass $4B in 2010, or 12.6% of automotive ad budgets

Shift of automotive ad dollars online may lead to global reduction in automotive ad spending as money flows out of print, broadcast

Rapid change in automotive consumer buying behavior w/ auto industry dramatically lagging behind, says Adrian Joseph of Google's London office

$32.27B to be spent on automotive advertising globally, says Nielsen Global AdView

Google research shows consumers spending significantly less time on vehicle buying decisions

2 months or less now spent on decision, compared w/ 6 months in past

Dealership visits during shopping process cut from 6 to 1 or 2

About 40% of respondents interviewed in CarsOnline survey said expected dealers to answer request for quote via email in 4 hours or less

"The Internet has become the primary source of research for the car-buying consumer." -- Adrian Joseph, head of Automotive Practice, Google's London office

"Consumers have moved on in the way they research and buy cars and auto-related products. But I don't think the manufacturers and the big dealer groups have fully understood the size of this shift and/or reacted to it in a way which drives true brand engagement in the digital world." -- Joseph