Car manufacturers' websites are continuing to ignore fleet buyers in favour of private consumers, a study has found.

Analysts at Cap Network, looking at 51 car makers' sites, found that only seven featured areas specifically for fleet sales and support, and two of those were password-secured for corporate clients. Only nine sites gave contact details for the fleet sales department at the manufacturers. The research shows that from 51 sites:

  • 40 omit CO2 figures
  • 20 fail to list optional extras
  • 16 include fuel consumption rates.

    Cap Network editor-in-chief Mark Cowling said: "It seems ironic that while several commercial databases contain almost every detail about their cars' running costs, tax position, standard and optional trims and equipment, many manufacturers themselves fail to offer their data to the people with whom they do the bulk of their business." (October 2, 2001)