Volvo is partnering with Amazon in the UK to offer online test drive booking, with cars delivered directly to customers at home or work.
The ground-breaking initiative is available for a limited time for Volvo’s V40 and will be open to Amazon customers in four UK cities – London, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh – on select weekends in June and July.
The service will be branded Amazon Prime Now Test Drive, after the Amazon Prime Now same-day delivery service that the online retail giant offers to customers.
Customers sign-up online by providing their details on a dedicated website, selecting a location for delivery and choosing a time slot.
The vehicle will then be delivered by a Volvo brand expert who can explain more about the car.
Customers interested in a purchase following the test drive will be directed to their local Volvo retailer.
Test drive slots last for 45 minutes and will be available for a limited time on a first-come first-served basis.
Jon Wakefield, managing director, Volvo Car UK, said: “At Volvo Cars, we aim to make people’s lives easier. Our ‘Prime Now test drive’ offer does just that, allowing potential customers to try our V40 on their terms and in familiar surroundings.
“We’re proud to team up with Amazon to deliver this unique initiative, the first of its kind in the UK and the latest in a range of offerings from Volvo designed to take the hassle out of running a car.”
The launch of the test drive programme is part of a range of services being launched by the manufacturer to reflect changing customer expectations, with new services including Care by Volvo, its vehicle subscription service that is an alternative to long-term ownership or finance.
The new XC40 is the first model offered under the Care by Volvo service, but it will be expanded throughout the range over time.
The subscription service is first available for buyers of the new XC40 in Italy, Germany, Norway, Poland, Spain, the UK and United States.
Volvo Cars has been under the ownership of Geely Holding of China since 2010. It formed part of the Swedish Volvo Group until 1999, when the company was bought by Ford.
