Looking for the hip and nifty at NADA

Dealers walking the exhibition floor at the National Automobile Dealers Association convention in Orlando were met by vendors offering new ways to cut costs, tap social media and monitor their business operations using a smart phone.... Read More »

Land Rover promises U.S. small SUV in 2011

A new, smaller SUV for Land Rover will go on sale late in the third quarter of 2011, Land Rover announced to dealers at the U.S. National Automobile Dealers Association Convention. The SUV, based on the LRX concept, debuts at the Paris auto show this autumn and will be seen first in the United States in December at the Los Angeles auto show.... Read More »

Audi U.S. chief: Profit means more than hitting sales goal

Despite Audi's oft-stated plans to sell 200,000 vehicles in the United States by 2018, the luxury brand's North American chief says profitable growth is more important. "We are not going to chase volume for the sake of volume," Johan de Nysschen, president of Audi of America, said. "We will only grow if it puts an extra dollar in the bank.... Read More »

NADA sales forecast: 11.9 million this year

Powered by the improving economy, U.S. sales of cars and light trucks likely will rise 14 percent this year to 11.9 million vehicles and will go higher next year, the chief economist of the National Automobile Dealers Association predicts.... Read More »

Business, bonding and blues

Auto people like to talk business -- and party. At the NADA convention in Orlando, they got both, although the party scene was subdued -- befitting a lean industry still climbing out of a nasty recession.... Read More »

Hyundai ups Tucson build for U.S.

Hyundai Motor Co. will boost Tucson production in South Korea to meet rising demand for the redesigned crossover, said John Krafcik, CEO of Hyundai Motor America. In December, Hyundai introduced a new-generation Tucson with a sportier design and drivetrain in an attempt to appeal to singles and young couples. Hyundai's U.S.... Read More »

CEO: Asbury's lean, looking to buy stores

Charles Oglesby says 2010 is looking up. The CEO of Asbury Automotive Group Inc. said the public group has planned its business around flat volume but expects sales to increase, particularly when warm weather arrives.... Read More »

What Lithia's DeBoer wants in a carmaker

Sid DeBoer, 64, is CEO of Lithia Motors Inc., a publicly traded group of 86 auto dealerships in 12 states. This month Lithia made a preliminary estimate of 2009 sales totaling $1.8 billion to $1.85 billion. The earnings are scheduled to be released Wednesday, Feb. 24. DeBoer spoke during J.D.... Read More »

Ford strives to speed up inventory flow

Ford Motor Co. executives told dealers that the automaker is working on ways to get them a steadier supply of products. Ford leaders confirmed here at the make meeting that Mercury will get a new small car in 2011.... Read More »

Chrysler dealers hunker, wait for products

Dealers who attended the Chrysler make meeting are hunkering down, waiting for a wave of new products in the works. They seem to be willing to give the company the benefit of the doubt that a brighter future is ahead. Chrysler engineers have been working on a line of new vehicles based on Fiat platforms.... Read More »

Kia aims to boost U.S. sales 10% this year

Kia will continue to be aggressive in the United States this year, executives told dealers at the make meeting. The brand is shooting for a 10 percent increase in sales this year and says it has the means to do it. Last year, Kia sold 300,063 vehicles in the United States.... Read More »

Audi U.S. chief: Profit means more than hitting sales goal

Despite Audi's oft-stated plans to sell 200,000 vehicles in the United States by 2018, the luxury brand's North American chief says profitable growth is more important. "We are not going to chase volume for the sake of volume," Johan de Nysschen, president of Audi of America, said after the make meeting.... Read More »

Subaru dealers: We need cars

With sales hot and market share rising, the only thing Subaru dealers want is more cars. They can't keep enough in stock, particularly the updated Outback crossover and Legacy sedan, Phil Porter, chairman of the Subaru National Dealer Advisory Board, said after the make meeting.... Read More »

Volvo can offer 0% after Ford Credit split

For the first time in years, Volvo Cars of North America Inc. has competitive 0 percent loans because it dumped Ford Motor Credit Co. financing. Late last year Volvo switched entirely to U.S. Bank for consumer financing because Ford's rates weren't competitive, said Doug Speck, CEO of Volvo Cars of North America. U.S.... Read More »

After quiet '09, Mazda will crank up ads

After an erratic marketing effort in 2009, Mazda North American Operations promised its dealers that "we will not be dark" during 2010, or at least for the first six months. Mike Morais, chairman of the Mazda National Dealer Advisory Council, said Mazda Motor Corp. has marked North America as its "primary target" in the coming year.... Read More »

Suzuki will share Kizashi launch budget

Realizing it can't compete against the big players in mid-sized sedans, Suzuki has taken half of its $30 million marketing budget for the crucial Kizashi sedan launch this year and given it to the dealers, said Kevin Saito, president of American Suzuki Motor Corp.... Read More »

Dealers pose tough questions for Toyota

Toyota's make meeting was not as contentious as some dealers had expected. But with the company mired in quality problems, dealers asked plenty of tough questions. For example, they wanted to know how long Toyota had known about the safety defects that led to recalls and how the controversy would affect dealer business.... Read More »

For Nissan, more models, better floorplan rates

Nissan dealers devoted most of their make meeting to talking about new products coming this year. But dealers also heard of plans to boost inventories of older trucks. Dealers have clamored for more Frontier and Titan pickups and full-sized Armada SUVs -- all of which had factory volumes slashed after the light-truck market began shrinking in 2007.... Read More »

Land Rover promises small SUV in 2011

A new, smaller SUV for Land Rover will go on sale late in the third quarter of 2011, Land Rover announced to dealers at a breakfast meeting. The SUV, based on the LRX concept, debuts at the Paris auto show this fall and will be seen first in the United States in December at the Los Angeles auto show.... Read More »

BMW is big Olympic advertiser

BMW Group is using the Winter Olympics to launch a marketing campaign to convince shoppers that BMWs are engineered well but are fun to drive, too. George Sharpe Sr., chairman of the BMW Dealer Forum and president of Sharpe BMW in Grand Rapids, Mich., said the brand's make meeting was upbeat -- as might be expected, given the average 2.... Read More »

Jag dealers hear about future under Tata

As the second anniversary of the brand's sale to India's Tata approaches, Jaguar dealers heard repeated assertions at a breakfast meeting that the future is bright. Gary Temple, president of Jaguar Land Rover North America, conveyed the parent company's belief that the U.S.... Read More »

VW restates goal: Double U.S. sales by 2012

Volkswagen Group of America reaffirmed its goal to sell 450,000 cars in the United States by 2012 at the make meeting. That's a big jump from 2009, when VW sold 213,454 vehicles. But VWoA management says new product introductions, including a redesigned Jetta and an all-new mid-sized sedan out of its new Chattanooga, Tenn.... Read More »

Acura ups spiffs till hybrids arrive

A sharp sales slide and Acura's decision to cancel rear-drive V-8 vehicles have dealers wondering whether the brand ever will reach Tier 1 luxury status. But Acura officials tried to convince dealers at the make meeting that the new plan -- relying on hybrids -- will succeed.... Read More »

Honda wants to help dealers boost margins

Honda dealers aim to improve their profit margins, increase conquest sales and keep their image separate from the tarring that Toyota has taken of late. John Mendel, American Honda Motor Co.'s executive vice president, said the company will try to give dealers "more below the line" in terms of profit margins not visible to consumer Web sites.... Read More »

M launch is Infiniti's key event for '10

Infiniti plans a large national advertising push this spring to support its 2011 M sedan, which will be the brand's primary focus in 2010, dealers were told at the make meeting. Dealers are counting on the car for added sales and to bring new attention to the brand. Infiniti sales were down 6 percent in January compared with a year ago.... Read More »

Porsche will end spiffs; under VW, it's 'business as normal'

Porsche Cars North America says it has slashed its inventories in half in the past few months to about 45 days and expects to end incentive spending by the end of March. "We were oversupplied across the board, and those inventory levels are pretty balanced again," said COO Michael Bartsch.... Read More »

Happy Hyundai: Profits, products, more financing

Dealers had little to frown about at Hyundai's make meeting. After all, it was one of the few brands that increased sales in 2009. Dealers were told about a slew of new products in the works and learned that more financing will be available from the company's captive finance company.... Read More »

Mercedes dealers want more M's, E's, CPOs

Mercedes-Benz dealers urged the automaker to open the faucet a tad on vehicle inventories, especially the M-class crossover and E-class coupe, as the automaker prepares for higher volumes in 2010.... Read More »

Mitsubishi's 3-year goal: 100,000 sales

Mitsubishi told dealers at its make meeting that it is committed to increasing volume. Said Jason Gillman, vice president of Gillman Mitsubishi, which has stores in Houston and San Antonio: "They've got a three-year plan to get us back to where we need to be. They've got to get the volume back over 100,000" for the United States.... Read More »

Dealer group chief logs some Face(book) time

Before Tim Jackson arrived at a 7:15 a.m. breakfast meeting at the NADA convention here, he was already posting to his Twitter followers and Facebook friends. Eight months ago, the president of the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association didn't have a Facebook page. Now Jackson has more than 2,300 Facebook friends.... Read More »

Toyota, dealers meet; media, U.S. get heat

Security was on hand during the Toyota make meeting here on Monday, but there wasn't a peep of hostility aired toward the company during an hour-long session, dealers said. Any anger was leveled at the media and the federal government, while retailers who emerged from the private session appeared upbeat and optimistic.... Read More »

Pickens: Energy independence starts with natural gas in big trucks

Powering heavy trucks with natural gas is the first step in U.S. energy independence, Texas oil and gas billionaire T. Boone Pickens told a gathering of the nation's automobile dealers. Eventually, natural gas may become more popular in light vehicles, he said. Since 2008, Pickens has crusaded to reduce U.S.... Read More »

Dealers will see more of NADA in 2010, Tonkin says

Dealers who questioned whether the National Automobile Dealers Association was doing enough last year will see the dealer group up close in 2010, said Ed Tonkin, who today became NADA chairman. “We have a new attitude that our agenda for NADA must be built from the bottom up, directly from dealer input,” he told the dealer group.... Read More »

Audi U.S. chief ranks profit above parent's sales goal

Despite Audi's oft-stated plans to sell 200,000 vehicles in the United States by 2018, the luxury brand's North American chief isn't completely on board with that target. Audi of America President Johan de Nysschen says profitable growth is more important than hitting a specific sales number. The U.S.... Read More »

Suzuki splits new sedan's marketing budget with dealers

Realizing it can't compete against bigger rivals in the mid-sized sedan segment, Suzuki will steer half of this year's $30 million marketing budget for the new Kizashi sedan to U.S. dealers, said Kevin Saito, president of American Suzuki Motor Corp.... Read More »

Ford's crossover tease

During the company's annual make meeting here on Sunday, Ford flashed an on-screen graphic of the upcoming Ford Kuga small crossover. It wound up teasing Lincoln Mercury dealers.... Read More »

Defensive? Understandable. A big story? Yes!

The Toyota make meeting was the hot ticket this morning. No ruckus broke out. Instead, Toyota dealers leaving the meeting described a generally upbeat affair. A few were defensive, blaming the media for the firestorm Toyota has found itself in during the last several weeks. How is this not a big story?... Read More »

NADA could stand some outrage

Twenty years ago, when I attended the NADA convention for the first time, auto retailing was a different world. Though dealers bickered with automakers, they were still able to challenge the factories in the courts using the state franchise laws.... Read More »

It wasn't all business at NADA

Boy, did I have fun at NADA on Valentine's Day. Don't know what everyone else was doing, but I had a ball. My first day on the convention floor, Feb. 13, was quiet -- almost to the point of being boring. But you could feel the vibes picking up on the morning of the 14th. By about 3:30, the place was starting to kick.... Read More »

With DM services, look before you leap

Two computer consultants I just took to breakfast said dealers could easily lose some big bucks in the switch to another dealer management vendor.... Read More »

Chrysler dealers 'playing defense'

Chrysler Group dealers would like more incentives. They'd like more new products, and they'd like to see some ads geared to product features and deals. But dealers know the new Chrysler isn't going to give them those things now.... Read More »

Mercury gets a small car in 2011

Ford Motor Co. executives confirmed that Mercury will get a new car on the same platform as the Ford Focus. Ford executives told dealers Sunday at the make meeting that the small Mercury is coming in 2011, the same year the Focus arrives. Two dealers who attended the meeting say the car will be called the Mercury Tracer.... Read More »

NADA economist: 14% sales increase

Powered by the rising economy, U.S. sales of cars and light trucks likely will rise 14 percent to 11.9 million units this year and go higher next year, NADA chief economist Paul Taylor predicted Sunday. Taylor said his forecast exceeded the consensus estimate of 11.... Read More »

The new normal: Work hard — and then work more

There has been a lot of talk about the new normal in the industry. NADA has a new normal: People who are here are here to work. After a lot of time on the floor Sunday -- a day when the crowds felt thinner -- the consensus is that the survivors are ready to start making things happen.... Read More »

Learning to live with Marchionne's brand of leadership

Chrysler dealers have by now gotten used to the idea that CEO Sergio Marchionne has a radically different approach to saving distressed car companies than his most renowned predecessor at Chrysler, Lee Iacocca.... Read More »

Police hunt convention vandals

NADA officials and three exhibitors are scratching their heads over petty vandalism at an otherwise upbeat convention. Vandals used a sharp object to damage the exhibit booths of Ford Motor Co. and dealer software vendor OEConnection on Friday morning. On Friday night, OEConnection's booth was slashed again.... Read More »

Even-smarter phones

ADP Product Manager Susie Kern demonstrates the Drive For Mobile smart phone application to Daryn Wilder, parts manager at Arrigo Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep in Tamarac, Fla., on Sunday. The application allows dealers to run aspects of their business remotely.... Read More »

Upbeat BMW is big Olympic advertiser

BMW Group is using the Winter Olympics to launch a marketing campaign seeking to convince shoppers that BMWs not only are engineered well but are fun to drive, too.... Read More »

Chrysler to audit dealer service

Under new management headed by Fiat, Chrysler Group wants to know how well dealers are taking care of customers. So it is dispatching an audit firm, SGS Group, to find out. Dealers' performance will be measured in four key areas: customer care, aftersale care, facility and management.... Read More »

CEO: Asbury's lean, looking to buy stores

Charles Oglesby says 2010 is looking up. The CEO of Asbury Automotive Group Inc. said the public group has planned its business around flat volume but expects sales to increase, particularly when warm weather hits. Oglesby spoke with Staff Reporter Amy Wilson.... Read More »

Manheim: The action's online

Going to auto auctions is, for some dealers, one of those traditional events where buyers get to see, smell, touch and judge their product. But a growing segment of retailers are content to dispense with the whole affair and buy their used vehicles online instead of in line, according to Manheim Auctions Inc., the nation's largest auction chain.... Read More »

Attorney seeks rejected dealers who will pony up to sue feds

A veteran dealer lawyer is trying to get at least 150 rejected Chrysler Group dealerships to join together to pay $20,000 apiece to sue the federal government. Attorney Leonard Bellavia met Sunday with two dozen dealers in Orlando, Fla., to make his latest pitch in an effort that began last November.... Read More »

GM and NADA make peace, vow to work together

General Motors and National Automobile Dealers Association officials say they've put their recent dispute behind them after a conciliatory meeting. A future bond between GM and the association is “non-negotiable,” said GM's Mark Reuss. “Bygones need to be bygones,” said GM dealer and NADA representative Carroll Smith.... Read More »

Ford urges dealers to go green, improve customer service

Ford Motor Co. is offering to help dealerships cut energy use. For a fee, Ford will assess a dealership's energy use and recommend how it can become more energy efficient said Ken Czubay, Ford's vice president of U.S. sales and marketing.... Read More »

Ford offers dealers F&I training

Ford Motor Co. has hired MarketSource to train dealers on F&I sales techniques and products. The automaker wants dealers to sell more extended warranty policies and other F&I products. The program is free to dealers.... Read More »

Kia sees another big sales year

There's no slowing down for Kia. The Korean brand, one of only three marques whose U.S. sales rose last year, told dealers at the make meeting Sunday that it is shooting for a 10 percent increase this year. Kia also told dealers it will continue to look for high-profile advertising venues such as the Super Bowl.... Read More »

Volvo dealers grapple with uncertainty

Anxious about their businesses, Volvo dealers asked the top U.S. executive a flurry of questions about the brand's future that apparently can't yet be answered.... Read More »

Hurst sees green from graying fans

Hurst, creator of the famous shifter, is tapping into baby boomers' memories of fast cars and high school. At Booth 651, Hurst is signing dealerships to sell Hurst-branded performance packages of three modern-day muscle cars, the Dodge Challenger, Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang.... Read More »

Car stars, cigars

Audi of America President Johan de Nysschen, right, chats with Dean Buschick, general manager of Roger Beasley Audi in Austin, Texas.... Read More »

Volvo CEO expects healthy gain in '10 sales

Doug Speck, CEO of Volvo Cars of North America, says Volvo sales are likely to track increases in U.S. auto sales and could rise 10 percent this year. Sales will be fueled by increased availability of Volvo's year-old XC60 crossover and the new-generation S60 sedan that debuts in the third quarter.... Read More »

Group honors 5 women

Five women received the Women's Automotive Association International Spirit of Leadership Award during a lunch here Saturday.... Read More »

Dealers were thankful to be with BMW last year

George Sharpe Sr. was glad he had BMW vehicles in his showroom during the Great Auto Recession of 2009. His store, Sharpe BMW in Grand Rapids, Mich., made a profit on both new cars and pre-owned cars in that tough environment, Sharpe said. Most of his 339 fellow BMW store owners also were profitable in 2009.... Read More »

Mitsubishi shows new commitment to national ads

Scott Grove started selling cars as a Chicago college student in the 1980s during winter breaks and summers. In 1987, at age 26, he joined his stepfather, Max Madsen, who had become dealer principal of a Mitsubishi store as the new brand established itself in the Chicago area.... Read More »

With Suzuki struggling, new Kizashi is key product

Suzuki is a franchise on the brink. Over the past two years, U.S. sales have plummeted from more than 100,000 to fewer than 40,000. The dealership count has dropped from nearly 500 to about 350. Dealers are banking on the Kizashi sedan, which just arrived in showrooms, to turn things around.... Read More »

After tough '09, Land Rover sees improvement

Michael Levitan, COO of Long Island Automotive Group in New York and head of the Land Rover Business Operations Council, said 2009 was a trying year with a new parent and a tough market. But Land Rover dealers expect better times ahead.... Read More »

Dealer's advice for Honda: Keep being Honda

Art Wright, who owns a stable of import franchises equidistant from Manhattan and Philadelphia, has been selling Hondas since 1977. Given what the economy and new-car market went through in 2009, Wright is happy with where he and Honda stand.... Read More »

Infiniti needs a broader line to expand sales

Sales for Infiniti vehicles fell 28 percent in 2009 as the auto industry crashed. But its dealer body had reasons to be upbeat. The factory helped boost dealer business in certified used vehicles. And early in the year Infiniti gave retailers autonomy over warranty claims in a bid to generate customer loyalty.... Read More »

Volvo dealers wait for the biggest sale: Volvo

Mike DiChristofano, chairman of the Volvo Retail Advisory Board and vice president of Volvo of Tucson, feels the way many Volvo dealers do: Complete the sale of Volvo. The uncertainty has stalled product decisions, limited advertising spending and left dealers hanging. DiChristofano says he just wants it to be over.... Read More »

LM: More leasing will keep products affordable

Lincoln-Mercury dealers' primary desire for 2010: more leasing. While Lincoln-Mercury sales in December were up 11 percent, sales were down 23 percent in 2009. Many dealers think sales this year could beat 2009's results if Ford Motor Co. makes leasing more available. Staff Reporter Jamie LaReau spoke with Bob Tasca Jr.... Read More »

Jaguar dealers: Controlling cash flow remains a challenge

Jaguar has raised 2010 sales goals "considerably" for its North American dealerships, propelled by the upcoming April launch of its XJ model, said Jack TerHar, chairman of the Jaguar Business Operations Council.... Read More »

Smart phones add features

Two companies servicing the auto retail industry are adding functions that allow or expand access to data from mobile devices.... Read More »

Ford expands e-contracting

Ford Motor Credit Co. is expanding its e-contracting to 12 states this year. The program now is available in eight states and will be nationwide by 2012.... Read More »

New look for Quick Lane

Ford Customer Service Division is testing a new look for its Quick Lane stores, says Tom Suttles, Quick Lane business manager. The new look includes a blue and orange color scheme and open floorplan so customers can watch work being done on their vehicles.... Read More »

Question of the day

Are you doing anything specific to capitalize on Toyota's bad-news situation with your brands?... Read More »

VW, building a Taj Mashowroom, talks up online sales

Stefan Jacoby, CEO of the Volkswagen's U.S. group, said up to 92 percent of all VW buyers do their shopping online. So pay attention, he says. Meanwhile, VW is building a Taj Mahal showroom in Manhattan to the tune of $125 million.... Read More »

Mad as hell and writing about it

Mark Ragsdale decided he wasn't gonna take it anymore. A 19-year veteran of the Massachusetts car retailing wars, and holder of Cadillac, Chevrolet, Honda, Kia and Pontiac franchises, Ragsdale got fed up with factory games and got out of the business in 2008.... Read More »

Hey Lexus owners, try this Buick -- for free

Buick-GMC dealer Dan Marquardt of Barrington, Ill., wants Toyota and Lexus owners to spend a whole day in a new GM vehicle -- for free.... Read More »

A 'computer idiot' is here to learn

Where is brown? As in the brown badges that identify dealers at the NADA convention. Didn't see many of them on the show floor. But the dealers who are here look focused and serious.... Read More »

Here come the recalls

Look out: The Toyota recall means a big change for how the rest of the industry looks at quality problems.... Read More »

Where's the appetite for electric vehicles?

Ford will launch the electric version of the Transit Connect truck soon and it has an electric Focus small car coming next year as well as a plug-in hybrid coming after that. But dealers here say it's all hype and no customers are asking for electric.... Read More »

Toyota plans incentive, warranty campaigns to restore consumers' faith

Toyota is planning a heavy incentive program and possibly a new warranty campaign in March to combat mounting consumer concerns about the automaker amid its recall crisis. “It won't be a fire sale like people thought GM and Chrysler had when they were in trouble,” Senior Vice President Don Esmond said. “But we will be competitive.... Read More »

Jackson rips Chrysler, feds on store closings

Mike Jackson, CEO of AutoNation Inc., blasted Chrysler Group and the government for the way they handled dealership closings. Jackson said at the convention's opening session Saturday that he accepts the rationale behind the closings: that there are too many dealers. But the parties went about it all wrong, he said.... Read More »

Mulally and Ford are shining stars of opening day

You've got to get up pretty early to beat Alan Mulally to the Ford stand. At about 25 minutes after 7 on Saturday morning — a full 35 minutes before the convention doors opened — the Mulally Mob was out in full force.... Read More »

GM to pursue dealer settlement talks

General Motors Co. plans within a week to start contacting rejected dealers who have filed for reinstatement, with the hope of settling outside arbitration. "I'd like to settle out of arbitration as many as we can because we want a mutually agreed-upon decision," Mark Reuss, president of GM North America, told reporters Saturday at the convention.... Read More »

GM seeks incentives to boost output

General Motors Co. plans to talk with state and local governments about incentives to boost production or reopen plants as it struggles to produce hot vehicles, said Mark Reuss, president of GM North America. GM will decide in the next few weeks about its strategy to add production, Reuss said Saturday during a meeting with reporters.... Read More »

What Lithia's DeBoer wants in a carmaker

Sid DeBoer, 64, is CEO of Lithia Motors Inc., a publicly traded group of 86 auto dealerships in 12 states. This month Lithia made a preliminary estimate of 2009 sales at $1.8 billion to $1.85 billion. The earnings are scheduled to be released Feb. 24. DeBoer spoke with Staff Reporter Lindsay Chappell during J.D.... Read More »

Jacoby: VW has all the tools to become a volume player

With its history and emotional appeal, Volkswagen has a selling point competitors can't copy, said Stefan Jacoby, CEO of the Volkswagen Group of America Inc. "We are the European brand that offers an alternative to mainstream American or Asian competitors," he said as keynote speaker at the opening of the convention.... Read More »

ADP adds share, products

ADP Dealer Services is gaining market share and rolling out new products despite another tough year for dealer management system providers, ADP President Steve Anenen said Saturday.... Read More »

Chrysler wants more stores to use Express Lane brand

As service revenue declines at many dealerships, Chrysler Group is pushing stores to open more Express Lane quick-service operations. The company launched Express Lane in 2008 to increase customer awareness that dealers could change oil, wipers and tires as well as quick-service chains.... Read More »

Study: Off-lease autos to drop

The number of vehicles coming off lease rose last year, but a moderate decline is expected this year with sharper declines after that, a new report says. In 2009, 2.7 million off-lease vehicles re-entered the market, up from 2.4 million in 2008, according to the Manheim Used Car Market Report.... Read More »

Audi's 'Green Police' will stay on patrol

Audi is trying to reverse America's longstanding hate affair with the diesel engine. It offers its TDI diesel engine on the Q7 crossover and A3 hatchback. Other automakers have made tepid passes at U.S.... Read More »

Zurich expands e-contracting

Zurich North America has joined the movement to e-contracting, introducing a process that allows dealerships to remit insurance products such as vehicle service contracts electronically over the Internet. Zurich already offers dealers a Web-based system for quoting prices on its contracts, called F&I Rate Track.... Read More »

DealerTrack expands network

Dealership software maker DealerTrack is adding automakers and financial services to its system this year but is cutting its marketing budget.... Read More »

Westlake expands into prime lending

Westlake Financial Services, which specializes in financing customers with substandard credit, will expand into the prime auto loan business in late March or early April, says President Ian Anderson.... Read More »

Online ads are a must, dealers are told

Dealers and automakers must increase online ad spending if they hope to attract an increasingly computer savvy consumer. That's the advice of Martin Sorrell, chief executive of WPP Group, the world's largest marketing and communications agency as measured by revenue.... Read More »

Chatting with the chiefs

Wisconsin dealer John Bergstrom, center, president of Bergstrom Automotive, shares a private moment with Ford Motor Co. CEO Alan Mulally, right, and marketing chief Jim Farley at Ford's Salute to Dealers Reception on Friday at the Ritz-Carlton.... Read More »

Time honors Scott Wood

Scott Wood has won the Time Magazine Dealer of the Year award. Wood, 59, received the award here Saturday. He is dealer and general manager of Stanley Wood Chevrolet-Pontiac Co. and Scott Wood Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep (Chevrolet-Pontiac) in Batesville, Ark. Forty-five auto dealers were nominated.... Read More »

Good to grow

NADA 2010 Chairman-elect Ed Tonkin, left, greets Don Esmond, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A.'s senior vice president of automotive operations, at the Toyota stand Saturday. Said Esmond of the convention: "The mood is pretty good. The only issue could be commercial real estate.... Read More »

Analyst sees falloff in luxury

Although there's still a market for luxury cars, mainline brands such as Ford, Chrysler, Volkswagen and Subaru will be in demand as more baby boomers retire, economist Erich Merkle told the AutoTeam America conference in Orlando.... Read More »

Companies link to Carfax

Several dealership management technology companies have integrated Carfax Inc. vehicle reports into their wireless management platforms. That allows dealers who use those platforms and subscribe to Carfax vehicle history reports to access the reports on mobile wireless devices.... Read More »

Ford dealers gain hot products and confidence

Ford dealers are clamoring for increased market share in every category this year. And with the impending launches of the Fiesta small car, 2012 Focus sedan and five-door hatchback and a new Super Duty pickup, dealers are confident they can dominate in car and truck sales.... Read More »

Chrysler dealers benefit from survivor mentality

Under new Fiat-led management, Chrysler has reinstated National Dealer Council elections. A national chairman will be elected after the NADA convention. The chairman will represent dealers for all four of the company's brands: Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and the new Ram truck brand. Chuck Eddy is Chrysler's dealer council representative to NADA.... Read More »

Sedan drives optimism of Porsche dealers in 2010

Not even the performance category escaped 2009 unscathed. Sales at Porsche Cars North America fell 24 percent. But dealers are hoping the Panamera sedan, which arrived in the showrooms in the fall, will spark a stronger 2010. Jerry Nelson, a member of the Porsche Dealer Board of Regents, spoke with Staff Reporter Leslie J.... Read More »

Key issues for Mazda: More ads, production

Mike Morais put his money where his mouth is. When an open point became available near his East Brunswick, N.J., dealership, Morais, a fervent supporter of Mazda, plunked down $2.5 million to retrofit an idle service center in Morristown, N.J., and double his holdings.... Read More »

Toyota council chairman: Pedal fix will be done right

You would think that with 10 new or redesigned vehicles coming this year and the No. 1 sign on its back, the Toyota brand would have a little swagger in its step.... Read More »

VW dealers need new vehicles to hit volume goal

In 2009's dismal market, Volkswagen dealers fared better than retailers of many other brands. VW division sold 213,454 vehicles in the United States last year, down 4 percent compared with 2008. Meanwhile, total U.S. light-vehicle sales shrank 21 percent. But with ambitious growth goals set by the manufacturer, Volkswagen's 580 U.S.... Read More »

Lexus retailers have learned to run a tight ship

Michael O'Brien has been chairman of the Lexus National Dealer Advisory Council since December 2008 and has seen the group through the roughest sales environment in the brand's history. Lexus sales fell 17 percent to 215,975 units last year, although the brand outperformed the U.S. auto industry's 21 percent plunge and remained No.... Read More »

Hyundai's challenge: How do you follow '09?

What a year for Hyundai. In 2009, a year that saw sales decreases for most brands in double-digit percentages, Hyundai was one of only three brands that increased both sales and market share.... Read More »

Nissan steps up dealer relations, customer loyalty

Chris Assmar got his first taste of auto dealership life as an 8-year-old, cleaning cars and sweeping lots at his father's Volkswagen store in California. When his father moved east to become a partner with Miami dealer Ron Esserman in Esserman Nissan, the younger Assmar made a career commitment to it.... Read More »

9 dealership vendors get top ratings

DrivingSales, a 2-year-old online community of dealers, has made Anna Zornosa's day.... Read More »

Demand demands more fly-ins

Don't tell DealerTrack CEO Mark O'Neil that this year's convention is sleepier than years past. O'Neill said the dealer management system maker had to fly five additional sales people in from Salt Lake City Saturday because of customer demands for demos at the company's exhibit.... Read More »

On the record

John McEleney , 2009 NADA chairman; Doug Speck , CEO, Volvo Cars of North America and Dean Eisner , CEO, Manheim.... Read More »

Question of the day

How do you keep your employees motivated and committed?... Read More »

Ford dealers want big profits on small cars

Some Ford dealers I ran into here Saturday morning are worried that Ford won't price the new Fiesta and the redesigned Focus at a level that will line dealer's pockets.... Read More »

New Jersey to Orlando, in the snow

Land Rover managers get the award for tenacity. Meeting in Orlando. Stuck in a New Jersey snow storm. Only one way to get there: drive.... Read More »

Show them the money

Now that GM has competitive vehicles, its dealerships need the talent to sell them, New Jersey dealer David Ferraez says.... Read More »

Some people conspicuous by their NADA absence

Thousands of auto dealers and vendors look forward to gathering at the NADA convention every year. For a lot of conventioneers, this year is notable for who's missing.... Read More »

Ford acts; Toyota thinks

Toyota may be the car company taking the most punches at the convention, but who will rise while the champ is down?... Read More »

The 'Big Brother' theory

Last year's General Motors and Chrysler bankruptcies are sparking gripes of protectionism in the wake of Toyota's recall fiasco. Here at the NADA convention, I've run into a few Toyota dealers who think the federal government's persistent probe of Toyota's quality issues may be an attempt to prop up the automakers it rescued, particularly GM.... Read More »

Lutz: GM could reopen plants

General Motors Co. is looking to add capacity by bringing shuttered plants back on line using labor-intensive tooling, Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said. "We are looking at taking an unutilized plant and putting in less-automated systems that you can put in quickly and at low investment," Lutz said in an interview on Friday.... Read More »

Amid crisis, love for Toyota takes a hit

It's almost always a love fest between Toyota and its dealers at the NADA convention. But this year? Not so much. What with millions of recalled cars, a battered brand image and tanking sales and residuals, the company's Monday make meeting here may be the most turbulent one in years.... Read More »

Good news awaits in Orlando — if you can get here

NADA folks told me that registrations are up 20 percent, but some people just couldn't get here. Members of the NADA team almost missed their own convention. NADA's David Hyatt told us that he and seven colleagues rented two minivans and drove to Norfolk, Va., to take the last flight out before the snow storm hit.... Read More »

Retail panel: Dependable captive lenders are critical

New models and hot-selling brands are nice. But what dealers need to keep the auto industry going is a steady source of customer financing from committed lenders, say some of the nation's largest auto retailers.... Read More »

Power forecast: Small cars, new brands

Regardless of whether consumers are ready for them, new brands and new small vehicles are coming to the United States. The newcomers will expand consumer choices just as the U.S. auto industry is banking on a recovery from a severe recession, said Jeff Schuster, executive director of automotive forecasting at J.D. Power and Associates.... Read More »

Lenders want Fed to extend floorplanning help

Automotive lenders are asking the federal government to extend the Federal Reserve's Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility, to help them secure more funds for dealership floorplanning.... Read More »

For selling cars, online chatter can matter

Kia, Saab and Chrysler. If you know what those brands have in common, you're in tune with the latest in automotive marketing. The three were among the marques that consumers buzzed most positively about over online social media, such as blogs, chat rooms and Facebook.... Read More »

For dealers, 2009 was a year like no other

Pain, tumult and change. That's what auto dealers went through last year as the industry collapsed. And those were the lucky ones. They survived. Automotive News reporters asked dealer leaders representing 27 brands about last year and the outlook for this year. The series of interviews begins today.... Read More »

Ed Tonkin: Wounds to heal, work to do

Healing wounds with manufacturers and dealer members is a priority for the National Automobile Dealers Association in 2010, says NADA's incoming chairman, Ed Tonkin. But the association also has internal improvements and regulatory concerns to pursue.... Read More »

Lutz wants higher prices, lower incentives

General Motors Co.'s incentive spending on its four remaining brands has dropped by $1,300 per vehicle since this time last year and is within $500 of the industry average. "There is no reason we shouldn't at least be at the average," said GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz, citing Edmunds.... Read More »

McEleney: Opportunity in service, used cars

Dealers suffering from slow new-car sales can regain revenue by emphasizing used-car sales and customer-pay service, says NADA Chairman John McEleney. Last year, franchised dealers sold 10 million used vehicles, but that was in a market of 37 million total sales, he said.... Read More »

eBay lists new vehicles with guaranteed prices

The home page of eBay Inc.'s automobile division now features separate listings for new vehicles. The division has partnered with another online automotive site to showcase those listings with guaranteed prices.... Read More »

Credit protection moves could spell trouble for dealers

Auto dealers dodged a bullet by being left out of proposed new consumer finance regulations. But they have not escaped the threat of new regulatory hassles, warns Stephen Smith, senior vice president for financial services at American Honda Finance Corp.... Read More »

GMAC courts all dealers via DealerTrack

GMAC Financial Services, the financing arm for General Motors before the automaker's 2009 bankruptcy reorganization, will offer its retail finance programs to dealers of all brands through an alliance with the DealerTrack credit application network.... Read More »

AutoTrader.com offers purchase price guarantee

AutoTrader.com is offering consumers a guaranteed purchase price for used vehicles that can be used as a down payment toward another vehicle or redeemed as a purchase offer at participating dealerships.... Read More »

Remaining Chevy dealers hope to keep customers

Chevrolet dealers went through the normal pain of 2009 — plunging sales, tight credit and executive changes. But for about 700 dealerships, 2009 had fatal consequences. Unless some Chevrolet dealers are restored during arbitration, the brand will drop to 3,100 stores after October from 3,812 at the beginning of 2009.... Read More »

Cadillac dealer: Whitacre is right leader for GM

Most General Motors Co. dealers last June greeted the news of GM's new chairman with: "Ed who?"... Read More »

Buick-GMC's challenge: Prosper without Pontiac

For Buick-GMC dealers, 2009 brought tumult and change, and not just because of quarter-century-low sales rates and General Motors' 39-day bankruptcy. In April, GM said it was phasing out Buick-GMC's partner brand, Pontiac.... Read More »

Audi dealers' key to growth: New products

In 2009, Audi dealer Jack Hanania opened a store in Jacksonville, Fla., modeled after the German luxury brand's flagship store design. He's one of nearly 30 Audi dealers who have completed or are building the new-style dealerships.... Read More »

Acura dealers enter year with hybrids and hope

Clark Richardson has been an Acura dealer since American Honda Motor Co. launched the brand in 1986. He was granted the 10th franchise by the first of Japan's luxury marques to enter the United States. So Richardson has seen all of Acura's ups and downs.... Read More »

Subaru dealers: Outstanding product — give us more

Phil Porter, who owns one Subaru dealership in Connecticut and opened his second Subaru store in Florida just last month, is the outgoing chairman of the Subaru National Dealer Advisory Board. After a two-year stint, he is preparing to hand off the job during the NADA convention. Porter can be proud.... Read More »

Outlook looks rosy for Mercedes-Benz dealers

Tommy Baker, chairman of the Mercedes-Benz Dealer Board and a Charleston, S.C., dealer, hasn't been this happy in years. Product quality is good, Mercedes dealers are making money, and U.S. management listens to dealers, he says. Baker says dealers have an excellent relationship with the management of Mercedes-Benz USA.... Read More »

Hummer dealers make do as talks continue

The future of Hummer depends on negotiations between General Motors Co. and a Chinese heavy-equipment maker. California Hummer dealer Christopher Leggio says he's confident a deal can be reached this quarter. Leggio, a member of the Hummer National Dealer Advisory Board, spoke with Staff Reporter Robert Sherefkin.... Read More »

In Hyundai's shadow, Kia stores also thrive

Of the Korean brands, Hyundai has been getting most of the accolades. But little brother Kia hasn't been just sitting idly by. With a 10 percent gain in U.S. sales and a share gain of 0.8 points, Kia moved into the No. 8 spot in sales last year, passing the GMC and Jeep brands. Kia also has shown its U.S.... Read More »

Wachovia will change name

Wachovia Dealer Services is changing its name to Wells Fargo Dealer Services.... Read More »

Ford honors dealers

Ford Motor Co. has honored dealers for dedication to their communities. Ford's Salute to Dealers, conducted under the guidance of Edsel Ford II, a member of Ford's board of directors, was scheduled Friday evening.... Read More »

Reports show if price is right

VAuto Inc. is unveiling an interactive online product at the convention (Booth 1631) that allows dealers to see how prices of their used vehicles stack up against the competition, says Dale Pollak, president.... Read More »

Coming together before Washington comes a callin'

Auto lenders haven't been demonized by the public or called on the carpet by Congress like big Wall Street firms, but auto lenders can't help but worry whether they could be in for similar treatment. So it's a good time to circle the wagons.... Read More »

On the record

Tom Kontos , Executive vice president, ADESA Inc.; Tammy Darvish , Vice President, Darcars Automotive Group... Read More »

Question of the day

What's one thing that makes you optimistic about the industry?... Read More »

In the end, it's the economy

Yes, GM has mostly pulled out of the NADA convention. And the Toyota recall crisis continues to wag tongues around the industry. Dealers here in Orlando will be buzzing about both. But both Elena Ford and A.J. Wagner expect talk to ultimately turn back to underlying concerns over the strength of the economic recovery.... Read More »