The digital retail space continues to evolve. But because of the pandemic, many manufacturers were forced to speed up the process, says Jon Sundberg, who is senior manager of digital solutions at J.D. Power. Sundberg was discussing the new J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Manufacturer Website Evaluation Study, which found that overall satisfaction of automotive manufacturer websites […] [Read More]

Be prepared to be flexible.  That’s something in which many dealers are well-versed, and it was part of a message that 2020 National Automobile Dealers Association chairman Rhett Ricart emphasized during a virtual presentation to the Automotive Press Association back in November.  Auto dealers, who were already adjusting their operations and business practices amid an […] [Read More]

This story appears in Auto Remarketing's upcoming Leading Dealer Groups issue. A sneak preview is available here to Cherokee Media Group Premium subscribers.  When it comes to its AutoNation USA standalone used-car stores, the nation’s largest auto retailer has “paid our tuition” and is embarking on a decade-long doctoral in pre-owned cars, so to speak. […] [Read More]

NADA Show 2021 is going virtual. The National Automobile Dealers Association is holding its annual convention and expo online from Feb. 9 through Feb. 11. When the move to digital was announced in October, NADA said in the release that among the features of the digital convention will be more than 60 educational workshops and […] [Read More]

Each year, Lake Charles Toyota contributes a scholarship to the SOWELA School of Transportation to help prospective students chase their dreams. Lake Charles Toyota, located in Lake Charles, La., has given more than $50,000 toward the local technical community college over the past nine years. That charitable work continued recently, as Lake Charles Toyota said […] [Read More]

As part of our association leadership series in the January edition of Auto Remarketing, we connect with the American International Automobile Dealers Association for a Q&A with its 2021 chairman, Steve Gates, who will formally begin that role in February. Gates is the owner of Gates Auto Family, with locations in Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee. The emailed […] [Read More]

A&L Motor Sales closed 2020 and opened 2021 with a brand new, reimagined BMW showroom to showcase its inventory and more than seven decades of retailing experience. As part of its $15 million overall renovation, the luxury dealership east of Pittsburgh that represents BMW as well as Jaguar and Land Rover revamped its showroom to […] [Read More]

The Crown Automotive Group has acquired its third Tennessee dealership, Kelly Subaru in Chattanooga. Crown’s Tennessee market footprint also includes Crown Chrysler in Chattanooga and Crown Chrysler in Cleveland. The Kelly family has served the Chattanooga community for more than 80 years, and Crown president and chief operating officer Jim Myers said the Kelly team […] [Read More]

Used-vehicle sales for 2020 were expected to finish 6% softer than the final 2019 tally, but it appears the year at least closed on a positive note for pre-owned. In a forecast released Dec. 28, TrueCar was projecting 3.1 million used-vehicle sales for December, which would beat November sales by 7% and prior-year figures by […] [Read More]

Roger Dean Chevrolet, located in West Palm Beach, Fla., is now Mike Maroone Chevrolet,  as Maroone USA takes on full ownership of the dealership. Maroone USA, which operates six dealerships in Florida and Colorado, said it partnered in 2017 with Patty Dean, daughter of namesake Roger Dean, to jointly own and manage the West Palm […] [Read More]