ATLANTA -

BMW Group Financial Services has teamed with Cox Automotive on a remarketing solution that allows all dealers to source BMW and MINI vehicles before they cross the auction block.

Powered by RMS Automotive’s web-based vehicle portfolio management solution, BMWGroupDirect.com is now accessible to independent and non-BMW franchised dealers — not just BMW franchised dealers.

The site now gives any buyer with a valid AuctionACCESS account around-the-clock online access to BMW Group’s national inventory of off-lease vehicles.

"BMWGroupDirect.com was created out of the necessity for our franchise partners to gain exclusive access to our inventory before it was offered to the wholesale buying community," Nina Englert, vice president of sales and marketing for BMW Financial Services, said in a news release. "But, given the changing dynamics facing the grounding dealer and with more off-lease inventory entering the market, we needed to take our upstream remarketing program to the next level." 

BMWGroupDirect.com allows any registered dealer to find and purchase vehicles anytime, anywhere. It’s the only remarketing site with factory VIN decoding, allowing dealers to search packages and options based on original build information from the plant. Dealers can also set up saved searches and alerts to advise them when specific inventory becomes available. Furthermore, the open platform means dealers no longer have to reserve time to attend simulcast online auctions at set times or attend on-site live auctions.

"Dealers can see our off-lease inventory across multiple auction locations, making it an efficient way to source our vehicles," Englert said. "And as the shift from traditional auction to online sales channels continues to grow, this will become an increasingly important value-add to dealers."

More than 450 BMW and MINI franchise dealers as well as 50 VIP independent dealers and wholesale buyers have sourced, bid on and purchased vehicles through the site since it launched a year ago. The program will continue to offer only franchise dealers exclusive access to BMW Group company vehicles via closed sales.

"BMW Group Financial Services and Cox Automotive enjoy a strong partnership and are committed to finding innovative solutions that drive more informed decision-making and further growth," said Nick Peluso, RMS president. "With anticipated growth over the next several years in off-lease volumes, this solution will help BMW Group Financial Services generate greater business efficiencies that will fuel better remarketing decisions."