On Monday, Darwin Automotive announced that it has been certified by Audi of America for its digital retail and omnichannel solutions. Audi dealers now can apply for co-op funding for Darwin’s toolset. 

Audi joins a growing list of manufacturers that endorse or financially support Darwin’s tools for their retailers. The current list of OEMs includes Audi of America, Volvo, Subaru, Ford and Kia Motors America.

“Darwin is a digital retailing platform built by car people that understand the importance of holding front and backend gross, Darwin Automotive chief executive officer Phillip Battista said. I am excited about this opportunity for Audi dealers as their profitability is our primary concern.

“Darwin engaged in a pilot program with Audi for over a year, and the results were amazing,” Battista continued. “Dealership groups such as Qvale Auto Group, which owns 14 dealerships across the U.S., have reported increases in CSI and profitability while streamlining the purchase process.”

Battista shared that Qvale Auto Group spent more than two years looking for a digital retailing solution that had the right omnichannel approach.

“We saw many that were aesthetically pretty but did not work well from the efficiency standpoint. Then we started to focus in on Darwin’s digital retailing platform and have never looked back,” said Geno Walsh, executive manager of retail operations at the Qvale Auto Group, which is based in West Palm Beach, Fla.

“Consumers are saying this is what they want. When we use it in our dealerships, we see a higher SSI, but we are also starting to see higher profits, which is what the dealers like. The omnichannel experience with the salesperson has been fantastic. There’s no back, and forth, there’s no confrontation, it’s a straightforward, streamlined process and a lot more efficient. I think it’s going to be better for the customer, the dealer, and the OEM,” Walsh went on to say.

Darwin currently operates in all 50 states with more than 5,000 dealerships subscribed to its programs. Darwin said it delivered 487,000 vehicles on its platform last month and is on track to deliver 6 million units for the year.

For more information, or to schedule a product demonstration, call (732) 781-9010 or visit www.darwinautomotive.com.