DriveArabia.com has become the most popular English automotive portal in the GCC, according to audience measurement results by Australian company Effective Measure, an ABCe associate.

The constantly-updated website offers comprehensive new and used car reviews, photos, general pricing estimates, as well as unique reliability and safety ratings, with the aim to provide all the information needed to make an informed car purchase, a statement said.

The independently-measured results show that DriveArabia.com had around 165,000 unique users in the month of June, more than the circulation figures of any regional automotive magazine. Up from the previous month, it also represents a 65 per cent increase since September.

The results also show that it has the most well-heeled demographics compared to any other automotive portal in the region, whether in English or Arabic; and popular among male audiences with high incomes and desirable age groups.

“Our operating costs remain extremely low, so much so that we’ve been profitable since Day One,” according to Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury, founder and editor-in-chief.

“We’ve had tremendous support from most automakers, although we’ve also made a few enemies along the way for our no-nonsense car reviews. It’s the cost of being honest, and our readers love us for that.”

Media representation efforts for the portal are now handled by Bayt.com.

The site is also the online media partner for the 2010 Sharjah International Auto Show, the 2010 Middle East Motor Tuning Show in Sharjah and the 2010 Abu Dhabi International Motor Show.

Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury will also be a judge for the 2010 Car Of The Middle East Awards as well as the 2010 Custom Design Cup, both hosted by the Sharjah International Auto Show this October.-TradeArabia News Service