12:52 pm, September 3, 2024
Auto Trader and What Car? are extending their partnership in an attempt to ‘redefine the new car buying and selling experience’.
As of next month, What Car?’s current ‘New Car Deals’ configurator will be replaced with a new car display and search function powered by Auto Trader.
It’ll allow customers to access 20,000 in-stock brand-new cars advertised every day, said the two firms.
Selecting one of the advertised cars will seamlessly transition the customer onto Auto Trader’s new car platform to complete the rest of their car buying journey.
The new functionality will be positioned alongside What Car?’s advice and reviews, and Auto Trader’s own editorial expertise.
The two companies said that the new partnership will enable the combined unique audience of nearly 11 million people to research, locate, and buy a brand new car across both platforms in a single seamless journey.
They added dealers and manufacturers will be able to ‘significantly extend their reach to a highly qualified audience at the beginning of their new car buying journey, all on a single Auto Trader contract’.
Auto Trader chief operating officer Catherine Faiers said: ‘Combined with our significant new car consumer marketing campaign, bringing together two of the UK’s most influential automotive brands marks a very important step in our commitment to helping our partners meet the challenges of the new car market.
‘These significant investments will not only make it easier and more cost efficient to access a huge new car buying audience earlier in the journey, but also drive more highly engaged new car buyers to our partners’ stock.
‘We believe it’s among the most powerful ways in which we can support our partners and would encourage brands not to miss out on the huge opportunity it affords.’
Rachel Prasher, managing Director of Haymarket Automotive, publisher of What Car? and Autocar, added: ‘Building on the success of our used car partnership, we are delighted to now be working with Auto Trader on new cars, too.
‘The synergy between our brands and audiences is obvious, and by working together we can offer consumers, retailers, and car manufacturers an unrivalled end-to-end car-buying and selling experience.’
The new partnership extends an existing one between the two firms.
Since July 2022 Auto Trader has powered the used car listings on What Car? and its sister site, Autocar.
The new extension means What Car?’s audience will now have a full view of the market, providing access to around 20,000 new cars advertised daily, as well as the 37,000 nearly new, and 430,000 used cars.
