Stellantis
The system is to be introduced in Germany next year.
(Photo: Reuters)
At the Stellantis car group (Peugeot, Fiat, Opel), it will become more difficult to haggle over the price of new cars in the future. The company will introduce the so-called agency model in Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg on September 4th, as announced on Friday at the group’s headquarters in Amsterdam. Dealers then no longer sell the cars on their own account, but act for the manufacturer as agents who receive commissions for their services.
So far, 8,000 contracts with sales partners and 25,000 for the spare parts trade have been concluded in ten strategic countries in Europe, Stellantis reported in a statement. The system is to be introduced in Germany next year, initially for commercial vehicles and for the premium brands DS and Alfa Romeo. The other dealer networks, including the German subsidiary Opel, are to follow by 2027.
“This is a historic change, not only for Stellantis, but for the entire industry,” said Uwe Hochschurtz, head of the European organization. With the conversion, Stellantis, like other manufacturers, wants to gain more control over the end prices of the cars and gain direct contact with customers. The customer experience should be improved and prices made more transparent, it said.
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First publication: 09/01/2023, 10:27 am.