Only 36% of manufacturer websites in Germany allow users to place an order online, and only 7 of 13 respond to enquiries inside five days, says a new study.

Adding to recent critical surveys of car makers' websites in other markets including the UK, the e-Car-Report 2003 from German consultants Incovis AG indicates that the functionality of manufacturer websites and the back-office services behind them still often leave much to be desired in terms of interactivity, efficiency and speed – the key attributes of online services. The report costs €450 incl. German VAT and is published at the end of this month. See www.incovis.de for details (in German)