Amazon’s plans of selling cars online are taking shape, with Europe set to be first in line for their future digital automotive services.
The company has already recruited Christoph Moeller, a former auto industry specialist at the Oliver Wyman consultancy firm, to lead the effort according to AutoNews.
“At Amazon, I am overseeing the OEM business in the European market,” Moeller said.
Amazon is currently spending big money to build its new unit, which will be based in Luxembourg and will start selling cars in the UK market first. “It has been luring experts with fat pay packages for some time,” an automotive consultant said.
The company is currently applying “massive pressure to add yet another supporting pillar to the market in the form of test drives,” said an executive of an unnamed manufacturer. A spokesman for Fiat-Chrysler said “I know that Amazon is planning something in this area”.
Amazon declined to comment on its European plans and it’s not clear whether new or used cars will be offered for sale. Last year the company announced a deal to sell three Fiat models on its Italian website, with the program getting extended last March to include long-term leases.
PHOTO GALLERY
