ATLANTA, Feb. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Riding the resurging auto market, a jump in new car shopping activity and strong marketing, AutoTrader.com hit an all time new record day in site traffic this month, recording 986,052 unique visitors on Monday, February 15.  This milestone demonstrates AutoTrader.com's continued leadership in connecting auto buyers and sellers and the strength of the company's brand as car shoppers return to the market.

"AutoTrader.com has built a brand that people know as the best on-line destination for car shopping," said AutoTrader.com President and CEO Chip Perry.  "Even during this recession and through the challenges the auto industry has faced, AutoTrader.com has continued to grow our traffic as more and more consumers go on-line to do their research; compare models, prices and specials; and find dealers.  With the economy picking up, renewed optimism among auto makers and dealers and the increasingly evident auto industry recovery, we expect to continue growing our influence and our site traffic even more."

During January and February AutoTrader.com had several high-profile marketing activities underway that exposed the brand to millions, helping drive this record traffic day.  They included:

• Advertising spots, television billboards, courtside signage and entitlement of the "NBA Tip Off Show on TNT" during NBA All Star 2010 broadcasts from Dallas February 12 through 14;  
• Exhibits at several top auto shows in January and February, including shows in Detroit, St. Louis, Chicago, Philadelphia and Washington D.C.;
• Advertising on the NFC Championship games, reaching more than 99 million consumers;
• The launch of media partnerships with the San Diego Union Tribune, the Los Angeles Newspaper Group and other media outlets through which AutoTrader.com powers these news organizations' on-line auto classified sections.

During 2009, AutoTrader.com routinely surpassed 15 million unique monthly visitors.  In January, the AutoTrader.com had 15.98 million unique monthly visitors, a record for January.  January's results and the one-day record of 986,052 million unique visitors set on Monday indicate the company could continue to see record results during 2010.

The company's growing influence in new-car shopping is likely to continue to pay dividends as well.  Long known as a used-car shopping site, AutoTrader.com has launched major marketing campaigns aimed at new car shoppers and has built functionality and tools on the site that makes AutoTrader.com a powerful destination for new-car shoppers to research and compare models, find prices and specials and find a dealer to buy from.  Today, about 30 percent of shoppers on AutoTrader.com are shopping for only new cars.

"With millions of new, used and certified pre-owned vehicles listed for sale and more than 15 million unique monthly visitors, AutoTrader.com continues to be positioned as a leading place for car buyers and sellers to connect on-line," said Perry.  

About AutoTrader.com

AutoTrader.com, created in 1997 and headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., is the Internet's leading auto classifieds marketplace and consumer information website.  AutoTrader.com aggregates in a single location millions of new cars, used cars and certified pre-owned cars from thousands of auto dealers and private owners.  The site attracts about 15 million unique monthly visitors.  Through innovative merchandising functionality such as multiple photos, videos, detailed descriptions and comprehensive research and compare tools, AutoTrader.com unites new and used car buyers and sellers online to improving the way people research, locate and advertise vehicles. AutoTrader.com is a majority-owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises.  The venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers is also an investor.  For more information, please visit www.autotrader.com.

SOURCE AutoTrader.com