The car-maker said it would initially offer more than 100 used cars – from Peugeot, Citroen, Fiat and Vauxhall – sourced from Stellantis’ company car scheme or from its finance partners.

Consumers would buy directly from Stellantis’ reconditioning centre at Corby via its website spoticar.co.uk and take delivery at any Spoticar dealership without incurring any delivery fees. The same website also markets the dealer network’s approved used cars.

A growing number of OEMs are looking at direct-to-consumer (D2C) sales of new cars and used cars as a potential way of improving profitability per unit and reduce distribution costs. It also allows OEMs greater control over gaining data about car buyers and delivering a consistent experience.

Mercedes-Benz, which adopted the agency-model D2C system for new cars, has in Europe for several years been offering used cars from its fleet for sale online. 

Volvo in the UK launched D2C online used-car sales in 2022. But the company said its retail network remained critical in D2C sales by providing support to customers and in organising car preparation, delivery and handover, and any subsequent service, maintenance and repairs.

Automotive Management (AM) Online publication in the UK said that Stellantis’ Spoticar was a used-vehicle network for Vauxhall, Peugeot, Citroën, Fiat, Jeep and Abarth and was launched in 2021.

This was several years after Spoticar started in mainland Europe where it now has about 350 locations across the various Stellantis brands’ franchised dealerships.

In the AM report, Stellantis UK director for pre-owned vehicles Nicola Dobson said: “With Spoticar Direct we can now offer a ‘phygital’ pathway that makes an even wider range of used vehicles available throughout the UK using our Spoticar network.

“Innovation also enables us to continue to strengthen Spoticar’s leadership position.”

Buyers are able to request their selected car’s transport to a dealership for a test drive, and will receive advice from a call centre to help them make their choice. 

The final stages of the purchasing process, such as payment and delivery, will be carried out at the retail site chosen by the customer.

Ms Dobson said that, like Volvo, Stellantis saw the crucial moment for Spoticar is when the network’s experts hand over the vehicle.

Spoticar was launched last decade to establish the then PSA Group, now Stellantis, as a multi-brand used vehicle operator.

At the time Marc Lechantre, PSA’s used vehicle business unit vice president, said: “The new offering will create a stress-free experience for customers, whether they want to buy their used car online, at a dealership, to have it delivered directly to their door.”

By Neil Dowling