Mitsubishi Motors Launches Industry-First Digital Retailing Program, Connects Prequalified Shoppers To Dealer In-Store Capabilities For A Transparent And Faster Car Buying Experience

FRANKLIN, Tenn., Feb. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA), has partnered with AutoFi Inc. and Santander Consumer USA to launch ClickShop 2.0, an industry-first digital solution. ClickShop 2.0 connects the car-buying journey from Mitsubishi Motors' Tier-1, and its dealer partner's Tier-3, websites directly to the Mitsubishi dealer showrooms, delivering an unparalleled and seamless shopping experience.

ClickShop 2.0 combines the award-winning customer satisfaction of MMNA's dealer-partner network with powerful digital AutoFi solutions and the financing power of Santander Consumer USA. This industry-first blend of three partners' core strengths will revolutionize the way consumers shop for Mitsubishi Motors vehicles and enable Mitsubishi Motors dealers to deliver the buying experience consumers have long desired. ClickShop 2.0 delivers more transparent choices and dramatically shorter sales cycles, benefiting both customers and dealers.

Through ClickShop 2.0, Mitsubishi Motors will become the first U.S.-based auto manufacturer to offer a personalized shop-by-payment on its manufacturer and dealer-partner websites, leveraging the prequalification capabilities of Santander Consumer USA, all through a system powered by AutoFi. Based on just a soft credit-pull, consumers can see all in-stock vehicles that meet their financing qualifications, and then confidently shop those vehicles by payment to select a car that fits their budget and needs.  When these pre-qualified customers arrive at the dealership, the AutoFi showroom solution enables the dealer to pick the deal up wherever the consumer left off and collaboratively complete the sale.

Early results of the ClickShop 2.0 solution are striking for dealers and customers alike, with a 70% reduction in the time to purchase a vehicle.

"A new car is the most expensive item most people will ever buy, so why not remove some of the stress by making it an easier, faster, and more positive process? We asked ourselves that question as we considered new and different ways to go to market," said Mark Chaffin, MMNA president and CEO. "New brands are joining the market, offering new ways for customers to shop and buy vehicles, and we are seeing the success of these approaches. We intend to allow our customers to shop where and when they choose, through our award-winning franchised dealer partners. ClickShop 2.0 makes buying a new car fast and fair, establishing a positive relationship with our customers right from the start."

"This is a game-changing combination and the culmination of all of the innovation we have undertaken the past few years. Connecting an industry-defining online shopping experience to where the deals happen in-store fully aligns the interests of the manufacturer, dealers, and their captive partners in a way where all can optimize without compromising the interests of one another," said Josh Baer, President of AutoFi.

"We are excited to see our first Powered by Drive® offering come to life through our partnership with MMNA and their ClickShop 2.0 solution. Powered by Drive® is fueled by our proprietary pricing model, which allows us to provide consumers with accurate prequalification that they can bring to a local Mitsubishi dealership, simplifying the buying process and generating valuable leads for dealers," said Bruce Jackson, Santander Consumer USA CEO.

The Clickshop 2.0 program further strengthens MMNA's position as a leader in customer experience. The company was named the top mass-market brand in J.D. Power's 2023 U.S. Customer Service Index (CSI) Study and in Reputation's 2023 Automotive Report. These awards support the brand's commitment to customer service, and, when coupled with the included maintenance and long warranties, showcase Mitsubishi Motors' desire to exceed all customers' expectations at every step of the ownership journey. 

For more information on the full lineup of Mitsubishi vehicles, visit MitsubishiCars.com.
For more information on MMNA, visit media.mitsubishicars.com.

ABOUT MITSUBISHI MOTORS NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Through a network of approximately 330 dealer partners across the United States, Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA) is responsible for the sales, marketing and customer service of Mitsubishi Motors vehicles in the U.S. In its recently announced Midterm Plan – "Challenge 2025" – MMNA's parent company Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) has committed to accelerating its efforts toward a sustainable carbon-neutral future, setting goals of 40 percent reduction in vehicle CO2 emissions and 50 percent reduction in operational CO2 emissions by 2030. Additionally, MMC has set targets for global sales of electrified vehicles at 50 percent by 2030 and 100 percent by 2035, leveraging a blend of plug-in hybrids (PHEV), hybrids (HEV) and pure electrics (BEV).

MMNA has its headquarters in Franklin, Tennessee, as well as corporate operations in California, Georgia, Michigan, New Jersey, Texas, and Florida. 

For more information on Mitsubishi vehicles, please visit media.mitsubishicars.com.

ABOUT AUTOFI
AutoFi is the leading provider of sales and finance technology across the automotive industry. The AutoFi platform includes digital retailing, deal estimation, desking, lender routing and F&I menu - all in one powerful platform that helps dealers sell smarter, not harder. AutoFi also elevates the prequalification and financing experiences for Enterprise clients such as manufacturers, lenders and marketplaces through its cloud-based pricing technology and Lending as a Service APIs.

For more information, visit www.autofi.com.

ABOUT SANTANDER CONSUMER USA
Santander Consumer USA Inc., headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is a consumer finance company focused on vehicle finance, third-party servicing and delivering superior service to our more than three million customers across the full credit spectrum. Santander Consumer, which began originating retail installment contracts in 1997, had an average managed asset portfolio of approximately $63 billion for FY 2022. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Santander Holdings USA, Inc., and is part of Madrid, Spain-based global banking leader Banco Santander. For more information about Santander Consumer USA, please visit www.santanderconsumerusa.com.

Contact
Jeremy Barnes
Senior Director, Communications and Events
[email protected]
Mobile: 714-296-1402

Brendan Dougherty
Senior Director, Marketing
[email protected]
Mobile: 847-977-8765

Cristina Martinez
Head of Communications, Santander Auto & SC
[email protected]

SOURCE Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc.