Carvana’s New-Car Push Aims to Upend Traditional Dealerships (2)

Online used-car retailer Carvana Co. has made a rapid push into new-car sales, having acquired seven stores in the last 18 months, and it’s ripping up everything about how new cars are sold.

Just don’t call them dealerships. The company describes the locations as “Test Drive Centers.” The lots are “Playgrounds.” There are no sales people and the so-called “advocates” make far less than the sales staff in a traditional dealership. And it’s no-haggle, fixed-price selling.

If Carvana’s play works, the company could start to turn the world of auto sales upside down at as many dealers as manufacturers will ...