Service department activity at franchised dealerships fell significantly in July, according to analysis of Xtime metrics cited in a Cox Automotive Data Point report. The report showed service revenue down slightly for the third consecutive month after reaching record highs in March and April, while the Repair Order Volume Index decreased compared to the previous […] [Read More]

Auto manufacturers, dealers and more have stepped up with donations and other relief programs in the wake of the devastating wildfires on the Hawaiian island of Maui, which according to the latest estimates, have left more than 100 dead, 1,000 or more still missing and more than $1 billion in property damage. Korean automakers Kia […] [Read More]

A big dealer group is getting bigger, with new facilities coming — appropriately enough — in Texas. Swickard Auto Group, owner of 42 franchises nationwide, has announced its plan to open Mercedes-Benz South Austin in late 2023, promising to “bring luxury automotive experiences to the South Austin area.” The new dealership, which will cover 80,000 […] [Read More]

Two weeks after announcing the opening of its Porsche Studio in San Diego, Holman is bringing a similar “premium automotive retail experience” to an Audi store next door. The dealership group, which owns 40 franchises nationwide, has opened the Audi Sales Studio in the upscale, open-air Fashion Valley mall — right next to the mall’s […] [Read More]

Zeigler Auto Group’s collection of dealerships in the Midwest continues to grow. The group upped its total to 41 by acquiring Subaru stores in Lafayette, Ind., and Fort Wayne, Ind. from Rohrman Automotive Group. The dealerships, formerly known as Bob Rohrman Subaru and Bob Rohrman Subaru of Fort Wayne, have been renamed Zeigler Subaru of […] [Read More]

The Low Payment Kings, powered by Mahalak Auto Group, has partnered with ESA to invest in new rooftop and ground-mounted solar panel arrays to be installed at three of the group’s Florida dealerships – Dodge Chrysler Jeep RAM of Winter Haven, Posner Park Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM FIAT and Lake Wales Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM. […] [Read More]

Vroom CEO Tom Shortt noted during the company’s second quarter 2023 earnings call on Aug. 9 that its e-commerce units grew approximately 5% sequentially. “This quarter is the first quarter with sequential growth since we realigned the business and introduced our long-term roadmap in the second quarter of 2022,” Shortt said. That long-term roadmap remains unchanged, and it includes three key objectives and four focused strategic initiatives. The objectives are ... [Read More]

Penske Automotive Group, which operates almost 500 auto and truck dealerships in six countries, had added two more to its collection. Penske announced it has acquired BMW of Wilmington and Porsche Wilmington in Wilmington, N.C., from Baker Motor Company. Both dealerships have earned their respective brands’ highest honor:  BMW of Wilmington was named a BMW […] [Read More]

New-vehicle sales were up in the first half of 2023, fueled in part by the continued rise of electric vehicles, according to the latest research from Urban Science. The 2023 midyear Automotive Franchise Activity Report found sales rose by 13% over the same period in 2022, primarily driven by non-retail sales and EV adoption. Based […] [Read More]

Feldman Automotive Group, which owns and operates 18 auto and RV dealerships in Michigan and Ohio, is again partnering with Mark Wahlberg and Corewell Health Foundation-Southeast Michigan to host the Feldman Automotive Children’s Miracle Celebrity Invitational golf tournament. All proceeds from the Aug. 28 event, featuring appearances by more than 50 national and local celebrities, […] [Read More]