NADA

MAKE MEETINGS -- TOYOTA

Hot January torpedoes Toyota's sales forecast

12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 18, 2013
Toyota is recalculating its projected U.S. sales gain for 2013 after getting off to a fast start for the year.... Read More »

 

MAKE MEETINGS -- HONDA

Honda steps away from stair-steps

12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 18, 2013
After a year in which the outgoing Accord and the Civic were subject to stair-step incentives, Honda executives told dealers they expect to avoid the controversial tactic in 2013. But never say never.... Read More »

 

MAKE MEETINGS -- FORD

Ford dangles $750,000 carrot for facilities

12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 18, 2013
Ford brand will offer as much as $750,000 in dollar-for-dollar matching funds to dealers who refurbish their facilities in line with the Ford Trustmark design program, the brand told dealers at its make meeting.... Read More »

 

MAKE MEETINGS -- LAND ROVER

Factory chases more 2013 Range Rovers for dealers

12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 18, 2013
The redesigned Range Rover will be in short supply for most of 2013 because of high worldwide demand, especially in China, Land Rover dealers were told at the make meeting.... Read More »

 

MAKE MEETINGS -- MERCEDES-BENZ

Communication with dealers is top priority at Mercedes

12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 18, 2013
The Mercedes-Benz Dealer Board is taking steps to improve its communications with the dealer body. The 13-member board will schedule quarterly conference calls in each region with a regional representative so dealers can receive updates on programs, sales and other information.... Read More »

 

MAKE MEETINGS -- CHRYSLER GROUP

Chrysler to dealers: Keep focus on sales

12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 18, 2013
Chrysler Group executives promised Fiat dealers a spring preview of new products planned for their showrooms and heard Jeep retailers plead for more Wranglers and Grand Cherokees.... Read More »

 

MAKE MEETINGS -- CHEVROLET

Chevy expects 7% sales gain with new lineup

12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 18, 2013
General Motors executives told Chevrolet dealers at the make meeting that they expect the brand's sales to increase 7 percent this year as Chevy rolls out 13 new or refreshed models, dealers said.... Read More »

 

MAKE MEETINGS -- BMW

BMW is making plans for dealership renovations

12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 18, 2013
BMW will disclose details of a new dealership improvement program in the second quarter. The program, called "Future Retail," will include exterior and interior renovations.... Read More »

 

Dealers seek to roll back '80s-era emissions control paperwork

12:47 pm U.S. ET | Feb. 15, 2013
Under a bill introduced in the House of Representatives, dealers no longer would have to fill out paperwork assuring buyers that the emissions control systems of the cars they purchase have not been modified.... Read More »

 

JIM HENRY

The dealer, F&I vendor disconnect

12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 13, 2013
There’s a disconnect in the F&I space that’s getting more obvious. Many dealers, including some of the big publicly traded dealership groups, say they’re limiting their F&I menus to three or four items: extended-service contracts, GAP policies, prepaid maintenance and perhaps another.... Read More »

 

DAVID BARKHOLZ

AutoTrader: Only 2 of 3 of dealership Web visits are for vehicle shopping

11:42 am U.S. ET | Feb. 11, 2013
After reviewing nearly 3 million dealer Web site visits at 3,000 dealers recently, AutoTrader found that 32 percent of dealer Web visitors go to the site for something other than shopping.... Read More »

 

Nissan urges dealers to stay on track amid product blitz

5:19 pm U.S. ET | Feb. 11, 2013
After setting a brand sales record in 2012 and two years of record dealer profitability, Nissan urged retailers at its make meeting to stay focused on the strategy of the past three years. Nissan is midway through a plan to introduce five key model redesigns in 15 months.... Read More »

 

Acura to give each dealer 2 RLX sedans ahead of launch

2:33 pm U.S. ET | Feb. 11, 2013
Acura plans to give each of its 265 dealers two 2014 RLX flagship sedans on Friday, a month before the car goes on sale March 15.... Read More »

 

AutoTrader acquires incentive-tracker Automotive Information Systems

2:40 pm U.S. ET | Feb. 11, 2013
AutoTrader Group's stable of online classified properties and software companies just got bigger. Dale Pollak, founder of vAuto, a unit of AutoTrader, said AutoTrader has acquired Automotive Information Systems, an Ann Arbor, Mich., tracker of new-vehicle incentives, for an undisclosed price.... Read More »

 

Mitsubishi to double marketing spend this year, return to prime-time network TV

3:39 pm U.S. ET | Feb. 11, 2013
Mitsubishi Motors North America executives told dealers at a standing-room-only make meeting here today that it will double its marketing spend this year and return to prime-time network TV after a long absence.... Read More »

 

Hyundai aims to increase owner loyalty

12:53 pm U.S. ET | Feb. 11, 2013
Hyundai Motor America hopes that the third shift added in September at its Alabama plant will help the company boost 2013 sales 4 percent, to 730,000 units.... Read More »

 

MIKE COLIAS

Why Chevy's new advertising road looks promising

11:22 am U.S. ET | Feb. 11, 2013
Opinions on what flavors and themes should infuse Chevy's brand messaging are as diverse as its sprawling vehicle lineup.... Read More »

 

Ally sees full U.S. repayment by 2014 on auto business gains

10:11 am U.S. ET | Feb. 11, 2013
Ally Financial, the second-largest remaining investment by the Treasury’s federal bailout fund, will repay the government by 2014 on the strength of its auto-finance business, its CEO said.... Read More »

 

EDWARD LAPHAM

Why 'Back to the Future' resonates at NADA

9:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 11, 2013
It caught my eye immediately. Parked at a booth in the NADA exhibition hall was a DeLorean time machine. It looked as if it had just blown in from the "Back to the Future" movie trilogy -- complete with blinking dashboard lights and a flux capacitor.... Read More »

 

Store redos still bring iffy returns

12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 11, 2013
With industry sales getting better, manufacturers' facility renovation programs aren't as painful for dealers as they were a year ago. But expansive new dealership buildings still aren't worth the millions of dollars dealers invest in them, a National Automobile Dealership Association study concludes.... Read More »

 

GM's do-better letters unnerve dealers

12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 11, 2013
As David Westcott steps in as chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association, the group faces renewed concerns about performance review letters being sent to dealers by automakers.... Read More »

 

EDITORIAL

Rethinking auto dealership renovations

12:01 am U.S. ET | Feb. 11, 2013
A year ago, the issue of facility improvements reached a critical point in the relationship between auto manufacturers and their franchised dealers. Today, the tone is decidedly different. But there are still issues for the auto executives, dealers and others.... Read More »

 

Westcott to outline dealers' strategy

6:02 pm U.S. ET | Feb. 10, 2013
David Westcott, the incoming NADA chairman, will speak at the general session Monday afternoon and outline how the group intends to make its voice heard in Washington. Westcott, 66, sells Buick, GMC and Suzuki vehicles in Burlington, N.C.... Read More »

 

Volvo revamps dealer margin, bonus structure

4:57 pm U.S. ET | Feb. 10, 2013
Volvo is putting a new margin and bonus structure into effect with the launch of its 2014 models. The new structure has variable elements tied to sales performance, customer satisfaction and updated facilities.... Read More »

 

Kia to dealers: Get ready for more

2:37 pm U.S. ET | Feb. 10, 2013
Kia asked dealers at its make meeting during the National Automobile Dealers Association convention here to “take a longer term view” of Kia's growth plans and get ready for bigger volumes.... Read More »