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Car manufacturing is big business, which is why advertising firms are handed huge budgets in order to keep showrooms busy.

As part of the marketing mix, viral videos have proven their worth many times over. They are the kind of entertaining videos that are likely to be shared by people across sites like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.

But who makes the best viral videos? New research by video analytics outfit Visible Measures has ranked the world's top car virals by analysing video plays of original company uploads, as well as instances whereby videos are downloaded and then uploaded by others.

Topping the list with a one-two is Honda with its "Hands" and "illusions" videos.

In third was Chevrolet's "Outstanding Design", followed by another Chevrolet offering in 4th – "Life test".

The viral quintet was completed by Volkswagen's entertaining "Play the Road".

But what makes a car viral advert go viral? The boffins at Visible Measures suggest that successful viral ads do not keep to established advert-making approaches, but instead tell a story and demonstrate how a vehicle is a key part of a person's lifestyle – not merely a mode of transport.

Sadly, clever marketing videos do not reveal how much a car demands the attention of the owner's car breakdown cover insurance – for that kind of information, see our blog on the latest JD Power Survey!

Watch the videos: