Carvana, best known as an online used-car retailer, also happens to sell new cars through the seven Stellantis dealerships it operates.

And at its Stellantis store in Dallas this week, Carvana launched its first Test Drive Center: a casual, no-pressure experience meant to give shoppers the flexibility to explore new cars “on their own terms” in a relaxed setting.

“Everything we’ve built at Carvana has been in service of giving customers more control and more confidence when buying a car,” Carvana president of special projects Tom Taira said in emailed comments.

“Test Drive Center extends that to the in-person experience. Customers can explore, compare, and test drive on their own terms — and when they’re ready, they buy online, the Carvana way,” he said.

The Test Drive Center is set up to create a laid-back vibe, with open, airy spaces. Live plants instead of offices.

A Carvana representative will greet the customer as they come in, but the experience is self-service, using a 10’ x 10’ cube of LED screens that the customer can control on their own device through a QR code.

The customer can scroll through the Stellantis vehicle lineup and select vehicles and features, then see a map of where their selected vehicle would be on the Test Drive Center property.

A “playground” awaits the shopper outside, where vehicles are spread atop recycled rubber grounds and available for the shopper to test drive.

Each vehicle has a number and QR code that opens a digital tour of the vehicle.

The shopper can click a button from the digital vehicle tour on their phone to begin the test drive. That signals a Carvana representative to pull a duplicate of the vehicle for them to test drive. The shopper provides their name, email, phone number and driver’s license. The representative offers a suggested route but does not join the customer on the test drive, simply meeting them when they’re finished.

If and when the customer is ready to buy, they can do so on Carvana.com.

“Test Drive Center is for the person who wants to spend a Saturday afternoon behind the wheel of a Wrangler just to see if it’s the right fit — no appointment, no obligation, just the experience of finding a car you love. We wanted to create a space where that’s the whole point,” Taira said.

“Carvana has always believed buying a car should be fun — transparent, convenient, and on your terms,” he said. “Test Drive Center brings that same philosophy in-person. Come in curious, leave confident, and buy whenever you’re ready.”

Exterior of Carvana’s Test Drive Center. Image courtesy of Carvana.

Dealer M&A in Indiana

In other news involving Stellantis dealers, Garber Automotive Group has acquired Grieger’s Chrysler Dodge Jeep Rame in Valparaiso, Ind., from Grieger’s Motor Sales, according to a news release from Performance Brokerage Services.

David Rodgers is president of Grieger’s Motor Sales.

In a news release, he said, “I have known Jason Stopnitzky and Paul Kechnie for over a decade. When it was time to sell my business and retire, it was an easy decision to work with them. Paul did a fantastic job of communicating, bringing great prospective buyers to consider and negotiating acceptable terms. Ultimately, we found the perfect buyer for the dealership. I couldn’t be happier.”

Garber Automotive Group dates back to the early 1900s and today includes 17 franchises across Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New York, and South Carolina. The group is led by third-generation dealer Dick Garber, who has been its president since 1980.

“I have known Dave Rodgers for a decade,” said Kechnie, who is senior partner of the Texas & Midwest Office at Performance Brokerage Services. “It has been a true pleasure to get to know him and help facilitate this transition.

“I’m excited for Dave to enjoy the next chapter of life with his wife Debbie and their family. Dick Garber and his team made the transition easy and seamless. It would be a pleasure to work with them again in the future!”