The world of online used cars for sale websites, which consists of AutoTrader pursued by a long tail of also-rans will soon see another entrant in the form of CarMart.co.uk, the brain-child of a former executive form Hurst Publishing the original owners of the AutoTrader business.

Fronting the business is ex Hurst executive Steve Edwards who has also worked for Daily Mail and General Trust’s regional publishing business Northcliffe. Edwards says the site will go live in August and plans to compete with AutoTrader with a proposition of free-to-list car sales.

Talking about the plan, Edwards, said, “The car listing sector has been dominated by a single player who has been hugely successful in migrating from print to web whilst commanding the very high listing prices more often associated with printed editions. Our site, due to launch on August 1st, will be completely free of charge and will offer even more search features to car buyers looking to find exactly the right purchase.

“We’re already seeing a massive interest and we expect to be listing in excess of 400,000 vehicles by the end of the year. The mobile app and web site will enable buyers to perform advanced searches for vehicles, with features and technology yet to be seen on any other car listing sites. To compete with a well-established market leader like AutoTrader requires a very special USP and you can’t get much more unique than offering a free service.”

Also working on the CarMart launch is publisher turned app platform entrepreneur Robert Nisbet who said, “Our developers are working hard to finalise the systems and technology; we’re aiming to offer the best available web experience for buyers whist whilst delivering a free service to sellers. It’s amazing to see the interest in our site already, the volume of pre-registrations on our website is most encouraging.

“We’re not planning to plaster the site with adverts or distractions; we want to ensure the whole experience is positive and immersive. The new site will synchronise with social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter accounts and will bring finding a used car firmly into the 21 century.”