CMS advises on Motors.co.uk sale to eBay

CMS has advised global automotive services provider, Cox Automotive UK, on the sale of its consumer-facing car search business, Motors.co.uk, to eBay. The completion is subject to competition clearance and expected to take place in early 2019. If approved, the deal will see Motors.co.uk join Gumtree UK, an eBay Classifieds business.

Cox Automotive is a long-standing client of the firm. CMS recently advised the multinational on a joint venture with Auto Trader Group plc to create ‘Dealer Auction’ – an online auction service for wholesale vehicles in the UK.

The cross-practice CMS team was led by Client Relationship Partner Simon Morgan, and included Kate Blumhof and Sam Pout (Corporate); Mark Joscelyne (Tax); Dominic Dryden, Laura Lucy and Loretta Pugh (TMIC); Brian Sher and Jonathan Carter Lewis (Competition); Paul Stevens (IP); Sam Robinson (Regulatory); and Eleni Sideris (Employment).