GM to Launch Dealerships That Offer Comparative Test Drives of Competitor Vehicles

“How can I get you in this car today?!”–is not something you’ll be hearing at GM’s new test dealerships.  The new paradigm in dealership will trade the stereotypical, slicked-back, sleazy salesman for head-to-head, direct comparison. The Test Drive Studio will offer test drives in Chevy vehicles like Malibu, Equinox and Traverse and then drives in their main competition to let customers compare directly. The progra is slated for areas where the Chevy does well including Chicago, LA Miami and Philadelphia.

GM’s general director for marketing services, alliances and branded entertainment Steve Tihanyi explains: “It’s a non-threatening environment. It’s not pressure-filled; you can drive all the right competitive products against the [vehicles]. If you take Malibu as an example, we will also have vehicles like Camry, Accord, Ford Fusion, or Taurus, so you get a really good cluster of vehicles to experience at your own pace.”

GM also plans a similar, decentralized testing program to coincide with 30 auto shows around the country. [via AutoBlog]