Amazon is said to be eyeing up the car sales market in Europe, with plans to run a trial in the UK first.

According to industry rumours, Amazon is already recruiting car sales executives.

According to German trade publication Automobilwoche, auto industry specialist Christoph Moeller has been put in charge of Amazon’s European business with carmakers and is already recruiting car sales executives.

Last year saw Amazon team up with Fiat to run a pilot on selling the 500, 500L and Panda online offering an additional discount. The scheme was expanded in March with a dedicated rental package for the Fiat 500 on Amazon.it through FCA Bank subsidiary Leasys, using the Amazon Customer Service team to contact customers to locate their nearest Fiat Dealership for the paperwork to be completed and vehicle handover to be scheduled, with the carmaker saying research had found that 50% of Italians wanted to choose a car online, with 97% still looking to pick it up from a dealership.

An Amazon spokesperson responded to Fleet World’s query on the UK scheme, saying the firm doesn’t “comment on rumour or speculation”.