CarGurus, a digital platform for shopping, buying, and selling new and used vehicles, said it entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the remaining minority equity interests in CarOffer for $75 million through an all-cash transaction. The deal is expected to close in December, subject to customary closing conditions.
CarGurus acquired a 51% stake in CarOffer in 2021 with the ability to buy the remaining equity interest over the following three years. The decision to expedite the purchase reflects CarGurus’ goal to capture rising opportunities to strengthen operations between the two platforms and accelerate plans for solutions that power its development of a transaction-enabled platform supporting dealers and consumers through every stage of the automotive lifecycle.
“Our work with CarOffer has unlocked meaningful opportunities to better serve our customers by integrating the scale and reach of our retail platform with CarOffer’s digital wholesale capabilities,” said CarGurus CEO Jason Trevisan. “As we aim to accelerate this progress to enhance the consumer and dealer experience even further, we believe that now is the right time to fully invest in CarOffer so we can be more agile in scaling solutions.”
Upon closing, CarOffer will continue to operate as a stand-alone brand at its Addison, Texas location. Bruce Thompson, CarOffer founder and CEO, will step down upon completion of the acquisition. Zach Hallowell, CarGurus head of industry transformation, will transition to lead the CarOffer business.
“On behalf of CarGurus, I extend my appreciation to Bruce for his leadership and collaboration as we transition Zach into this role,” Trevisan added. “With over 20 years of leadership experience with the largest digital wholesale platforms in the market, I am confident in Zach’s ability to guide the next chapter of CarOffer’s growth.”
CarGurus said Hallowell brings a deep understanding of the digital wholesale space and experience identifying opportunities to maximize platform efficiency, drive growth, and ensure a seamless online-to-in-person customer experience. Before joining CarGurus, he led development and subsequent scaling of digital solutions in the wholesale space, most recently leading Manheim Auctions’ digital wholesale marketplace at Cox Automotive.
“I look forward to collaborating with Zach during this transition period as I focus on my next journey, and believe the team is in a great position to continue expanding on the momentum we’ve built together,” Thompson said.
