Consumer Concern About Rising Fuel Prices: Women Are From Venus and Men Just Want to Keep Driving Their Cars

PALO ALTO, Calif., May 2, 2006 -- The Customer Research group at Frost & Sullivan (http://www.transportation.frost.com/ ), will host its second quarter analyst briefing webcast on Tuesday, May 9, 2006 at 3:00pm EDT.

A number of recent geo-political and natural events have caused the price of fuel to reach record high numbers. Consequently, the vast majority of vehicle owners in the U.S. are more concerned about the price of fuel than they were 12 months ago. Ultimately, this concern translates into changes in driving behaviors and vehicle purchase intentions.

This Frost & Sullivan briefing evaluates those concerns by providing a gender-based analysis of changes in driving behaviors and vehicle purchase priorities across increasing fuel price points. More specifically, the discussion will focus on the specific price points at which male and female consumers anticipate changing their driving behaviors, the specific price points at which male and female consumers will consider immediately purchasing various types of more fuel efficient vehicles and lastly, changes in male and female future vehicle purchase priorities as a function of increasing fuel prices.

The briefing will benefit all participants in the automotive value chain including, petroleum refiners and retailers, vehicle manufacturers, component suppliers, service and maintenance shops, dealerships, etc., as it casts light on the relationship between consumers' concerns about rising fuel prices and actual consumer behavior.

"Rising fuel prices are a very important issue for the majority of vehicle owners prompting manufacturers to offer more fuel-efficient vehicles. However, many industry participants find it difficult to determine how consumers' concerns about rising fuel prices impact actual consumer behavior," comments Rick Brown PhD, Frost & Sullivan project manager, customer research. "Among the significant findings observed, there appears to be a stark contrast between the reactions of men and women."

Those interested in participating in the interactive webcast should send an email to Tolu Babalola, Corporate Communication at tolu.babalola@frost.com with the following information: full name, company name, title, telephone number, e-mail address, city, state and country. The registration details will be emailed to you upon receipt of the above information.

Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, has been partnering with clients to support the development of innovative strategies for more than 40 years. The company's industry expertise integrates growth consulting, growth partnership services and corporate management training to identify and develop opportunities. Frost & Sullivan serves an extensive clientele that includes Global 1000 companies, emerging companies, and the investment community, by providing comprehensive industry coverage that reflects a unique global perspective and combines ongoing analysis of markets, technologies, econometrics, and demographics. For more information, visit http://www.frost.com/ .