Daniel Weisman, chief innovation officer at Motion Auto Insurance, says car-sharing, ride-hailing services and enhanced driver-assist systems are changing the way vehicles are insured.

Industry 4.0

Suppliers

Stellantis to distribute its stake in Faurecia to shareholders

Company shareholders will decide on the distribution of the 39 percent stake and the $368 million raised from a previous equity sale in the supplier.

Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo front and rear views.jpg

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Electric vehicles

Porsche adds Taycan electric wagon, stepping up Tesla challenge

The Taycan Cross Turismo offers more cargo space and headroom than the Taycan electric sedan. The quickest variant accelerates from 0-62 mph in 2.9 seconds.

Used Cars

Hertz lenders push alternate plan for bankruptcy exit, report says

Unsecured lenders want to convert their holdings into shares of the reorganized company, which could be traded publicly, Bloomberg reported. That would counter a plan to sell the car rental giant to two investment funds for as much as $4.2 billion.

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Technology

Jeep Wagoneer, Grand Wagoneer to get Amazon Fire TV for Auto

The utility vehicles, tasked with pushing Jeep upstream, will be technological showcases for the adventure brand and function as rolling entrainment hubs with the inclusion of Fire TV for Auto.

AM Newscast

Ford criticized for battery deal

• VW accelerating EV goals

• Porsche adds electric wagon

• Dealers' digital shift

See all First Shift

PM NEWSCAST

First chips, now foam?

• GM's EV digital retail tool

• Stellantis aims to be 'disruptive'

• Audi, Subaru join label program

See all PM Newscasts

Special Video Report

Back to basics: How a Texas group is cutting costs, saving millions

Renegotiating with vendors. Trimming advertising dollars. And cancelling cable TV. Those are some of the cost-cutting strategies Bert Ogden Auto Group is using to help conserve cash amid the pandemic. Along with monthly savings of hundreds of thousands of dollars, the 18-store dealership group in south Texas has also tightened its sales deadlines and set daily limits for spending.

Opinion

What dealers can do if D.C. power shift affects recalls

Are we in the midst of a fourth industrial revolution?

EV plans and some damn lies

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Blogs

How digital retail can be a pain reliever for F&I process

Think like a consumer to improve the dealership experience

The new Stellantis pickup: Schrödinger's Dakota

Fisker gets a rare second chance to build his own car company

Federal credit reporting agency unlikely, AFSA says

Access F&I

CFPB nominee vows to enforce fair lending, scrutinize big data

How digital retail can be a pain reliever for F&I process

Consumers in mortgage forbearance could drop out of auto market

Enforcement likely from new CFPB administration

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Cars & Concepts

Jeep to slot new model below Renegade, sources say

Honda continues electric push in Europe with HR-V hybrid

Kia Carnival crosses minivan with SUV style

Mercedes recasts C-Class as sportier S-Class

Best Practices

Acura Columbus owner John Connelly said having a virtual sales manager gives staff flexibility.

For Ohio dealer, virtual sales manager is the real deal

Rapid Recon helps dealers streamline used-car reconditioning

Academy helps Germain retain employees

Taking initiative to fill service need

GM-backed Cruise is in talks to buy startup Voyage, report says

Fisker's next wave: A premium people's car

Bidirectional EVs could lend a hand in power crisis

Are we in the midst of a fourth industrial revolution?

Toyota banks on plug-ins as rivals push BEVs

Fixed Ops Journal

Dealerships can boost key fixed absorption metric to survive and thrive

Optimism for the future despite crisis, change

Need service advisers? Fix job title

Service kiosks made for contactless world

Service counter: Service pick-me-up

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Retail

GM to launch EV digital retail tool powered by Tekion

The platform is designed to facilitate dealers' EV sales as the 2022 Chevy Bolt EV and the larger Bolt EUV hit dealers' showrooms this summer.

Electric vehicles

FedEx plans all-electric fleet by 2040

The move is part of an effort to become carbon neutral that same year, with the company planning to plow $2 billion into the global effort.

Batteries

GM mulling second U.S. battery plant, eyes Tenn., report says

GM is looking to build a second battery factory in the U.S. with South Korean joint venture partner LG Chem, Reuters reported.

Automakers & Suppliers

Hyundai profit hit after Kona EV recall, but LG Chem seen bearing bulk of costs

Hyundai has revised quarterly earnings despite reports that LG Chem will pay most of the estimated $900 million in costs for the recall.

Autonomous Vehicle

Honda to sell limited batch of Level 3 self-driving cars

Honda's plan to sell 100 Legend sedans fitted with the technology would be a step toward the automaker's goal of being the first company to mass-produce a Level 3 car.

Manufacturing

Stellantis battery JV seeks contracts with other automakers

The automaker's European joint venture with energy giant Total says it will be able to supply batteries for 1 million EVs by 2030.

Executives

Brockman tax probe linked to employee lawsuit from 20 years ago, report says

Bob Brockman's brother, Dave Brockman, told The Wall Street Journal that his brother "went out to make something of himself" after growing up in Florida and that the two have not been in close contact for years.

Retail

Vroom's Q4 net loss widens on expenses amid record online sales

Vroom shares plunged following the report.The online used-vehicle retailer also said it acquired CarStory, a Texas automotive retail analytics and digital services company, in January.

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Dealers

Fuccillo Automotive employee arrested on suspicion of stealing $1 million

Joseph Pompo, who was corporate director of finance, reinsurance and taxation for the dealership group, is accused of forming a reinsurance company using dealership funds without his employers' consent.