Online car-buying guide autobytel.com inc. began serving the European market recently by launching autobytel.se with Swedish Volvo retailer Bilia.
Bilia has formed a separate company, Autobytel AB in Sweden that will control the autobytel.com license for all Nordic countries. Currently the dealers are located in Sweden’s larger cities, but plans have been made to open sites in Norway, Finland and Denmark, as well as the U.K.
Modeled after its U.S. site, Autobytel.se is a site for new and used cars that includes pricing and research information, as well as finance and insurance options. Users interested in buying can input specifications of the car they want, and autobytel will contact an appropriate partner dealer.
“We offer a well tested business method that gives an efficient marketplace for both the customer and the seller,” said Lars Svensson, CEO for Autobytel AB. “Buying a car gets easier, faster and safer for the customer and the car dealer can extend its personal service.”
GE Capital Bilfinans will provide finance information for the Swedish site, and DIAL has become an insurance partner. The strategy is to make it more convenient for the customer, Svensson said.
Some of autobytel’s Swedish competitors include Bilweb, which is located on the most visited portal in Sweden, Passagen, and BilDirekt a site focused on used cars. Car producers are also competing directly today, including Volkswagen in Sweden.
