ATLANTA -

Cox Automotive — the parent of Manheim, AutoTrader.com, vAuto and Kelley Blue Book, among others — announced this afternoon it has purchased Xtime, a retention solution provider for the retail automotive industry.

This latest acquisition focuses on fixed operations, and Cox management explained the move will serve to expand its suite of solutions dealers need to run their businesses — “from the front-end to the back-end.”

Xtime is now part of the Cox Automotive software division but will retain its current leadership and brand.

Keith Jezek, software division president at Cox Automotive, said of the news, “We at Cox Automotive understand dealers’ need to retain and conquest service, maintenance and repair business, making the addition of a fixed operations solution a terrific value-add to the products and services we already bring to the table.

“With Xtime, we are now positioned to provide the modern dealership all of the tools needed to build and maintain long-term relationships with their customers,” he added.

Xtime — based in Silicon Valley — provides vehicle service and repair software solutions for dealers and automakers.

The company’s products work to help dealers better manage their service operations through integrated service scheduling, marketing and check-in, the company shared.

Xtime processes more than 2.5 million service appointments each month for its 6,000 dealer customers.

“Becoming a part of the Cox Automotive family of companies is an incredible opportunity and one that will greatly benefit our current and future customers,” said Neal East, co-founder and president of Xtime. “The additional value that we can create for our customers by connecting the front- and back-end of dealership operations is an exciting prospect, and I look forward to working across the organization to realize that potential.”