Online destination Cars.com is expanding its portfolio to let consumers access its brand on as many platforms as possible with an iPad app.

The app targets new car owners and joins the company’s line of mobile products, which also includes a mobile-optimized site. The mobile products leverage content from the Web site.

“Our goal is to have the right content available to car shoppers on the platforms they want to use,” said Erin Mays, public relations manager at Cars.com, Chicago.

“We wanted to utilize all the great functionality of the iPad and let folks immerse themselves in new car browsing,” she said.

Car browsing
With the app, consumers can view content from Cars.com, including car information and reviews.

Car shoppers can also view videos and photos.

Using the My Showroom feature, users can save car models to compare.

The app also includes ties in with Cars.com’s social media accounts via Facebook and Twitter.

To compare cars, consumers can view up to three different vehicles side by side at one time.

Consumers can comparison shop on the Cars.com iPad app

Additionally, the app includes links to Cars.com throughout the content, where users can read car reviews and find dealership information.

“We view the app beyond a marketing campaign,” Ms. Mays said. “It fits into the suite of our products – whether mobile or wired, we’re committed to delivering great car shopping experiences online.”

Auto mobile
The automotive industry has lately seen a plethora of mobile initiatives.

Most recently, Audi used a mobile site to draw consumers to dealerships (see story).

“Auto shoppers are a very technologically savvy group, and they’re using their devices during their shopping process,” Ms. Mays said.

“Purchasing a new car is an important investment, and we want to give our consumers everything they need to be confident in their decision of which car to purchase and where to buy it,” she said. “We need to provide this information whenever and on whatever platform they would like to use.”

Mobile is an especially effective channel for online destinations because it allows companies to leverage its already existent content.

Specifically for automotive companies, mobile lets consumers research and test products before visiting a dealership.

“For our smartphone apps and mobile Web site, content like dealer inventory, pricing and content information are the primary drivers,” Ms. Mays said.

“All of our mobile offerings are constantly evolving as consumers demand new things from their devices,” she said.

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is editorial assistant on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York