The integration is now complete: Car Avenue has formalised its presence in Germany, with the integration of nine dealerships acquired from the Autohaus Raiffeisen group. Selling the Renault, Dacia, Alpine, Nissan and Kia brands, these new outlets, now branded Car Avenue, will enhance a network that already covers France, Luxembourg, Belgium and Switzerland. This strategic operation, representing additional sales of €130m, propels the group a little further into the heart of Europe.
Historically rooted in Lorraine, Car Avenue, under the impetus of chairman Stéphane Bailly, has been able to densify its territorial network while diversifying its business. Through this operation, the group is displaying a clear ambition: to achieve a volume of 6,000 to 7,000 new vehicles a year in Germany and generate sales of €250m within three to five years, particularly thanks to the development opportunities that should arise in an area stretching from Bonn in the north to Saarland in the south and Mainz in the east.
Car Avenue is no longer just a car distributor: in just a few years, it has become a global player in mobility. Around its core business--the sale of new and used vehicles--the group has built an ecosystem of services: short-term rental (Car Avenue Rent), spare parts (Car Avenue Services), assistance (Car Avenue Assistance), electric mobility (Car Avenue Watt), soft mobility (Car Avenue Ecomoby for electric scooters), logistics transport (Car Avenue Logistic) and classic vehicles (Car Avenue Legend). It’s a methodical diversification that is part of a comprehensive response to the evolving needs of customers, both private individuals and professionals, the company explains.
With Car Avenue Watt, customers can also buy a charging point
“Our portfolio of manufacturer brands (34) enables us to offer a wide choice of combustion, hybrid and electric vehicles,” explains General Secretary Paola Zanetti. “Our used vehicle fleet of more than 3,500 vehicles enables us to offer recent, low-mileage and affordable vehicles. On the new vehicle market, we are a player in the transition to electric vehicles, with a third of our sales being 100% low-emission electric vehicles. With the market for electric vehicles growing faster than the market for charging points, we set up Car Avenue Watt just over two years ago. With this structure, we can immediately offer a customer interested in a hybrid or electric vehicle from one of our dealerships the installation of a home charging point, compatible with the 34 brands we sell. We are also working to develop this activity to offer access to electric charging points to as many people as possible.”
To support this momentum, Car Avenue has entered into a strategic partnership with the Crédit Agricole Group. Crédit Agricole de Lorraine, the group’s long-standing partner, was the driving force behind the link-up with CA Auto Bank, which is now the preferred financial partner. The partnership has resulted in the launch of Car Avenue Financial Services, a range of car financing and services designed for white-label distribution throughout the network. Classic loans, leasing, long-term leasing, insurance, soft mobility solutions: the offer is designed to be flexible and adapted to all types of public.
With its presence in 18 European countries, CA Auto Bank is also making available its multi-brand expertise and its ability to support the group in its new markets, particularly Germany. LCL, another long-standing partner, will continue to support Car Avenue’s cash requirements.
This article was originally published in .