Alex Kwanten | Automotive News
Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Automotive News Canada
  • Automotive News Europe
  • Automotive News China
  • Automobilwoche
AN-LOGO-BLUE
Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • Account
  • login
  • HOME
  • NEWS
    • Dealers
    • Automakers & Suppliers
    • News by Brand
    • Cars & Concepts
    • Final Assembly
    • China
    • Shift
    • Mobility Report
    • Special Reports
    • Digital Edition Archive
    • This Week's Issue
    • Ford created this gas-turbine truck for the 1964 World’s Fair.
      Ford's Big Red lives — parked in a garage
      Evergreen Subaru is moving to a larger facility, but the store won’t be as big as the ship that got stuck in the Suez Canal.
      Was stuck ship headed for a Subaru store? (Spoiler: No)
      The first 2022 GMC Hummer EV Edition 1 sold for $2.5 million.
      Hummer EV, Bronco raise big money
      Tesla customers say the overcharges range from $37,000 to $71,000, according to CNBC.
      Buyers like Tesla, but not enough to pay double
    • GAC Motor Co. launched sales of a new full electric crossover, the Aion Y, in March.
      New-vehicle sales rebound 75% in March from virus-hit 2020
      Wuling launched sales of its first pickup, the Zhengtu, on March 18.
      GM Q1 sales rebound but fall short of pre-COVID level
      The Ford Equator SUV arrived in the Chinese market on March 28
      Ford Q1 sales surge 73% over virus-hit 2020
      Xpeng P7 sedan on display at an auto show
      EV maker Xpeng setting up third plant to meet demand
    • Food is becoming a main dish on the AV menu
      Udelv CEO offers a historical perspective on high-tech goods delivery
      Q&A with BrightDrop CEO Travis Katz
      Automakers optimize manufacturing, customize products through digitization
    • Waymo self-driving van
      Waymo co-CEOs bring double vision for self-driving future
      Uber driver
      Uber, Lyft use rides to vaccines to get drivers, customers back on the platform
      Uber and Lyft
      Uber dangles higher pay to lure U.S. drivers back but warns it will not last
      Lidar system from Innoviz
      Shares of lidar sensor startup Innoviz rise in trading debut
    • Elon Musk interview
      Tesla’s Model Y, on sale since March, is a showcase of EV technologies competitors will benchmark.
      Technologies of Electrification
      Cadillac’s Lyriq EV will be unveiled Aug. 6.
      Future Product Pipeline
      A CALL TO ACTION
    • Lexus, Mirai get new advanced technologies
      On the baby front, Volvo takes the lead
      A standalone showroom is one optional improvement dealers can choose to show off the SUV line. Those who do get a slight increase in Bronco allocation.
      view gallery
      8 photos
      About 100 Ford dealers to invest in dedicated Bronco stores
      Waymo self-driving van
      Waymo co-CEOs bring double vision for self-driving future
    • Access F&I
    • Fixed Ops Journal
    • Marketing
    • Used Cars
    • Retail Technology
    • Sales
    • Best Practices
    • Dealership Buy/Sell
    • NADA
    • NADA Show
    • Automakers
    • Manufacturing
    • Suppliers
    • Regulations & Safety
    • Executives
    • Talk From The Top
    • Leading Women Network
    • Guide to Economic Development
    • PACE Awards
    • Management Briefing Seminars
    • World Congress
    • Aston Martin
    • BMW
      • Mini
      • Rolls-Royce
    • Daimler
      • Mercedes Benz
      • Smart
    • Ford
      • Lincoln
    • General Motors
      • Buick
      • Cadillac
      • Chevrolet
      • GMC
    • Honda
      • Acura
    • Hyundai
      • Genesis
      • Kia
    • Mazda
    • McLaren
    • Mitsubishi
    • Nissan
      • Infiniti
    • Stellantis
      • Alfa Romeo
      • Citroen
      • Chrysler
      • Dodge
      • Ferrari
      • Fiat
      • Jeep
      • Lancia
      • Maserati
      • Opel
      • Peugeot
      • Ram
      • Vauxhall
    • Renault
    • Subaru
    • Suzuki
    • Tata
      • Jaguar
      • Land Rover
    • Tesla
    • Toyota
      • Lexus
    • Volkswagen
      • Audi
      • Bentley
      • Bugatti
      • Lamborghini
      • Porsche
      • Seat
      • Skoda
    • Volvo
    • (Discontinued Brands)
    • Virtual reveals (Sponsored)
      • MITSUBISHI: 2022 Outlander
      • NISSAN: 2022 Pathfinder and 2022 Frontier
      • GENESIS: 2021 GV80
      • KIA: 2021 K5
      • LEXUS: 2021 IS
      • NISSAN: 2021 Rogue
      • TOYOTA: 2021 Venza and 2021 Sienna
    • Auto Shows
    • Future Product Pipeline
    • Photo Galleries
    • Car Cutaways
    • Design
  • OPINION
    • Blogs
    • Cartoons
    • Keith Crain
    • Automotive Views with Jason Stein
    • Columnists
    • China Commentary
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Send us a Letter
    • Mach-E
      For Ford, 3rd-party charging network must improve to reap Mustang Mach-E potential
      VW logo with reflection
      VW lied to sell diesels; now it lied to sell EVs
      265725_XC90_Inscription_in_Birch_Light.jpg
      Volvo targets top talent in U.S., China with generous parental leave policy
      The new Stellantis pickup: Schrödinger's Dakota
    • VW's Joke Is On You
      Joke Is On You
      In case of supply chain woes, break glass
      view gallery
      3 photos
      Leo Michael Cartoons - Q2 2021
      Leo Michael: There's Nothing You Can Do!
      Nothing You Can Do
      Tesla's 'Technoking'
      Tesla's 'Technoking'
    • Shifting gears away from the stick shift
      SEMA still a wonderful circus
      Penske still has plenty of races to win
      Ford's turn in the hot seat
    • April 6, 2021 | For Volkswagen, authenticity is the only path forward
      March 30, 2021 | Tesla “changes” car industry
      March 23, 2021 | Remote work will continue after the pandemic
      March 16, 2021 | Industry offers warning to Apple
    • Willard J. De Filipps
      Dealing with a drop in LIFO reserves
      Dave Versical
      From doubts to duped: We won't be fooled again
      VW logo with reflection
      VW lied to sell diesels; now it lied to sell EVs
      Pandemic rules are choking the industry
    • Why Xiaomi holds promise of becoming formidable EV player
      Geely’s new EV push is decidedly new age
      Charging poles installed outside a Tesla store in downtown Shanghai.
      Unreliable public EV charging sites prompt automakers to take wheel
      VW Group's playbook to dominate EV market
    • ‘Voltswagen' April Fools' gag far from funny
      Less is more in lineups as well as on lots
      Electric vehicle charger
      Electric vehicle hype opens door to short sellers
      Address vaccine doubts at work to lead U.S. back
    • Mixed-use plan a winner
      EV adoption in U.S. shouldn't be forced
      There goes VW recycling again
      Electric is the way to go for mail trucks
  • DATA CENTER
  • VIDEO
    • AutoNews Now
    • First Shift
    • Special Video Reports
    • Weekend Drive
    • AutoNews Now: EV battery decision looms for SK Innovation, LG Chem
      AutoNews Now: Ford skipping summer shutdown at many U.S. plants
      Mercedes leads Lexus, BMW in tight luxury race
      AutoNews Now: Chevy's electric Silverado to have more than 400 miles of range
    • First Shift: Hyundai to idle more output due to chip shortage
      First Shift: Biden's EV plan said to include $100B for consumer rebates
      First Shift: Stronger auto emissions rules coming by July, EPA head says
      First Shift: Automakers urge U.S. government to help with chip crisis
    • Virtual sales manager Jay Barger
      'Glued to a phone': Acura store's virtual sales boss lifts deliveries, efficiency
      One man’s journey from homelessness to thriving dealer
      Bert Ogden Auto Group
      How a Texas group is cutting costs, saving millions
      COVID, chips and checks: Sales headwinds and tailwinds for 2021
    • Why the pickup is the auto industry's 'battleground'
      Carlos Ghosn's quest to restore his reputation
      Why Ford must execute to avoid 'deep trouble'
      Why Honda is 'locked and loaded' for 2020
  • EVENTS & AWARDS
    • Events
    • Awards
    • Congress Conversations
    • Retail Forum: NADA
    • Canada Congress
    • Europe Congress Conversations
    • Fixed Ops Journal Forum
    • Shift: Mobility at a Crossroads
    • 100 Leading Women
    • 40 Under 40 Retail
    • All-Stars
    • Best Dealerships To Work For
      • Register for the 2021 Best Dealership To Work For
    • PACE Program
    • Rising Stars
    • Europe Rising Stars
  • JOBS
  • AN Solutions
  • +MORE
    • Leading Women Network
    • Podcasts
    • Webinars
    • In the Driver's Seat
    • Publishing Partners
    • Classifieds
    • Companies on the Move
    • People on the Move
    • Newsletters
    • Contact Us
    • Media Kit
    • RSS Feeds
    • Shift: A Podcast About Mobility
    • Special Reports Podcasts
    • Daily Drive Podcasts
    • AAM
    • Cars.com
    • DealerPolicy
    • Gentex
    • IHS Markit
    • Remember Group
    • Reputation.com
    • Ricardo: Dave Shemmans
    • Ricardo: Marques McCammon
    • Allstate: Want more from your F&I?
    • Ally: Navigating the future of automotive retailing
    • Amazon Web Services: Any place, any time, any channel
    • Amazon Web Services: The power of the cloud
    • Amazon Web Services: Universal translator: Harnessing sensor data to build better automotive software
    • Capital One Auto: Dealerships remain vital to an increasingly digital car shopping journey
    • DealerSocket: 5 steps to modernizing the buyer's journey
    • Epic Games: Real-time tech is the next frontier of automotive
    • Epic Games: Transforming the auto industry with digital assets
    • FTI Consulting: Crisis as a catalyst for change
    • Google: 5 trends shaping the auto industry's approach to a new normal
    • Google: Google's dealer guidebook helps dealers navigate today's digital landscape
    • IHS Markit: Automotive loyalty in the wake of the COVID-19 recession
    • IHS Markit: COVID-19: The future mobility delusion
    • Level5: 2020 Automotive E-Commerce Report
    • Motormindz: Toward hyperconnectivity: 5 ways to position your business to profit from connected car
    • Naked Lime: Bring social reputation together as part of big-picture marketing
    • Wells Fargo Auto: Switching gears from LIBOR to SOFR
    • Ally: Do It Right
    • DealerSocket
    • Deloitte: Cyber everywhere: Preparing for automotive safety in the face of cyber threats
    • Facebook: The road to a zero-friction future
    • Guide To Economic Development
    • PayPal Credit: How consumer financing helps drive sales for online auto parts retailers
MENU

Alex Kwanten

[email protected]

See All Staff Page
Recent Stories
Podiums, open desks help connect to service-drive customers

A growing number of dealers are using podiums and open-plan desks so advisers can show customers the full process of putting together their repair order on a screen.

Volvo provides free kits to relieve debt burden for new techs

Volvo hopes to recruit 225 new technicians by 2023, and the need is urgent. To help with recruiting, the automaker launched its Volvo Technician Tool Program in August.

Boost in digital marketing spend aids retailers as pandemic lingers

The sudden importance of service marketing in the early days of the pandemic led many dealers to closely examine new strategies.

Dealership sees recovery role in targeted social media marketing

Woody Buick-GMC in Naperville, Ill., is spending $2,500 a month on highly targeted social media and SEO efforts. It's money well spent.

10,000 no-touch service loaner contracts

Even before social distancing became a thing, consumers were trending toward transacting with the service lane on their mobile phones.

Mobile self-service tools trim customer wait times, offer contactless options

Self-service kiosks came to airports in 2000, to fast food in 2014 and to dealership service lanes around 2017. And just as many flyers eventually moved to using mobile phones to check in, customers in the service lane may soon follow.

Expanded auto repair financing options gain traction

Finance products specifically devoted to repair lending have emerged in recent years. No one expected them to come in handy during a pandemic, but they have.

Video inspections grow group's customer-pay business

Video recorded multipoint inspections have taken on added value in the service lane since the coronavirus pandemic sparked anxiety over face-to-face interactions.

As the number of drivers for ride-hailing services such as Uber continues to grow, so likely will the availability of inclusive policies.
F&I products cater to ride-hail drivers

The coronavirus pandemic has reduced demand for ride-hailing, but experts expect gig driving to thrive long after the crisis. 

Lyft, Uber and their drivers are ripe for fixed ops picking, expert says
If you cater to them, ride-hail drivers will come

To better cater to ride-hail drivers, it is important to understand their schedules and needs. The Reedman-Toll Auto Group has profited from that understanding.

The irresistible prospect of 10 service visits a year, $300 per repair order

One dealership that has marketed its services to ride-hail drivers is Paragon Honda and Paragon Acura in Queens, N.Y.

A path to capturing the eyes of Lyft, Uber drivers

Both Uber and Lyft partner with a pair of online service marketplaces that allow ride-hail drivers to comparison shop repair facilities and, as part of more far-reaching driver rewards programs.

As used-vehicle profits decline, dealers turn to software to speed up reconditioning

Competition among software vendors to help dealerships cut used-car reconditioning time is heating up.

Dealership groups debate the value of centralized reconditioning facilities

Some groups have moved away from centers, preferring that recon activities take place at the individual dealerships. Other groups say consolidating recon work at a central location offers substantial economies of scale.

  • Load More
Get Free Newsletters

Sign up and get the best of Automotive News delivered straight to your email inbox, free of charge. Choose your news – we will deliver.

Subscribe Today

Get 24/7 access to in-depth, authoritative coverage of the auto industry from a global team of reporters and editors covering the news that’s vital to your business.

Subscribe Now
Connect With Us
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Our mission

The Automotive News mission is to be the primary source of industry news, data and understanding for the industry's decision-makers interested in North America.

AN-LOGO-BLUE
Contact Us

1155 Gratiot Avenue
Detroit, Michigan
48207-2997

(877) 812-1584

Email us

Automotive News
ISSN 0005-1551 (print)
ISSN 1557-7686 (online)

Fixed Ops Journal
ISSN 2576-1064 (print)
ISSN 2576-1072 (online)

Resources
  • About us
  • Contact Us
  • Media Kit
  • Subscribe
  • Manage your account
  • Reprints
  • Ad Choices Ad Choices
  • Sitemap
Legal
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Privacy Request
Automotive News
Copyright © 1996-2021. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
  • HOME
  • NEWS
    • Dealers
      • Access F&I
      • Fixed Ops Journal
      • Marketing
      • Used Cars
      • Retail Technology
      • Sales
      • Best Practices
      • Dealership Buy/Sell
      • NADA
      • NADA Show
    • Automakers & Suppliers
      • Automakers
      • Manufacturing
      • Suppliers
      • Regulations & Safety
      • Executives
      • Talk From The Top
      • Leading Women Network
      • Guide to Economic Development
      • PACE Awards
      • Management Briefing Seminars
      • World Congress
    • News by Brand
      • Aston Martin
      • BMW
        • Mini
        • Rolls-Royce
      • Daimler
        • Mercedes Benz
        • Smart
      • Ford
        • Lincoln
      • General Motors
        • Buick
        • Cadillac
        • Chevrolet
        • GMC
      • Honda
        • Acura
      • Hyundai
        • Genesis
        • Kia
      • Mazda
      • McLaren
      • Mitsubishi
      • Nissan
        • Infiniti
      • Stellantis
        • Alfa Romeo
        • Citroen
        • Chrysler
        • Dodge
        • Ferrari
        • Fiat
        • Jeep
        • Lancia
        • Maserati
        • Opel
        • Peugeot
        • Ram
        • Vauxhall
      • Renault
      • Subaru
      • Suzuki
      • Tata
        • Jaguar
        • Land Rover
      • Tesla
      • Toyota
        • Lexus
      • Volkswagen
        • Audi
        • Bentley
        • Bugatti
        • Lamborghini
        • Porsche
        • Seat
        • Skoda
      • Volvo
      • (Discontinued Brands)
    • Cars & Concepts
      • Virtual reveals (Sponsored)
        • MITSUBISHI: 2022 Outlander
        • NISSAN: 2022 Pathfinder and 2022 Frontier
        • GENESIS: 2021 GV80
        • KIA: 2021 K5
        • LEXUS: 2021 IS
        • NISSAN: 2021 Rogue
        • TOYOTA: 2021 Venza and 2021 Sienna
      • Auto Shows
      • Future Product Pipeline
      • Photo Galleries
      • Car Cutaways
      • Design
    • Final Assembly
    • China
    • Shift
    • Mobility Report
    • Special Reports
    • Digital Edition Archive
    • This Week's Issue
  • OPINION
    • Blogs
    • Cartoons
    • Keith Crain
    • Automotive Views with Jason Stein
    • Columnists
    • China Commentary
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Send us a Letter
  • DATA CENTER
  • VIDEO
    • AutoNews Now
    • First Shift
    • Special Video Reports
    • Weekend Drive
  • EVENTS & AWARDS
    • Events
      • Congress Conversations
      • Retail Forum: NADA
      • Canada Congress
      • Europe Congress Conversations
      • Fixed Ops Journal Forum
      • Shift: Mobility at a Crossroads
    • Awards
      • 100 Leading Women
      • 40 Under 40 Retail
      • All-Stars
      • Best Dealerships To Work For
        • Register for the 2021 Best Dealership To Work For
      • PACE Program
      • Rising Stars
      • Europe Rising Stars
  • JOBS
  • AN Solutions
  • +MORE
    • Leading Women Network
    • Podcasts
      • Shift: A Podcast About Mobility
      • Special Reports Podcasts
      • Daily Drive Podcasts
    • Webinars
    • In the Driver's Seat
      • AAM
      • Cars.com
      • DealerPolicy
      • Gentex
      • IHS Markit
      • Remember Group
      • Reputation.com
      • Ricardo: Dave Shemmans
      • Ricardo: Marques McCammon
    • Publishing Partners
      • Allstate: Want more from your F&I?
      • Ally: Navigating the future of automotive retailing
      • Amazon Web Services: Any place, any time, any channel
      • Amazon Web Services: The power of the cloud
      • Amazon Web Services: Universal translator: Harnessing sensor data to build better automotive software
      • Capital One Auto: Dealerships remain vital to an increasingly digital car shopping journey
      • DealerSocket: 5 steps to modernizing the buyer's journey
      • Epic Games: Real-time tech is the next frontier of automotive
      • Epic Games: Transforming the auto industry with digital assets
      • FTI Consulting: Crisis as a catalyst for change
      • Google: 5 trends shaping the auto industry's approach to a new normal
      • Google: Google's dealer guidebook helps dealers navigate today's digital landscape
      • IHS Markit: Automotive loyalty in the wake of the COVID-19 recession
      • IHS Markit: COVID-19: The future mobility delusion
      • Level5: 2020 Automotive E-Commerce Report
      • Motormindz: Toward hyperconnectivity: 5 ways to position your business to profit from connected car
      • Naked Lime: Bring social reputation together as part of big-picture marketing
      • Wells Fargo Auto: Switching gears from LIBOR to SOFR
      • Ally: Do It Right
      • DealerSocket
      • Deloitte: Cyber everywhere: Preparing for automotive safety in the face of cyber threats
      • Facebook: The road to a zero-friction future
      • Guide To Economic Development
      • PayPal Credit: How consumer financing helps drive sales for online auto parts retailers
    • Classifieds
    • Companies on the Move
    • People on the Move
    • Newsletters
    • Contact Us
    • Media Kit
    • RSS Feeds