Amid concerns that 2019 will be a volatile year for new-car sales and that rising interest rates will erode profitability, Sonic Automotive reduced its employee headcount by 6 percent in the first quarter and is reining in capital expenditures, company executives said. So far, the company has identified around $20 million of reductions in selling, […] [Read More]

UPDATED: Headline and story text corrected to show that new vending machine location is in Pittsburgh.  Carvana notes that its new 130,000 square-foot vehicle inspection center in Indianapolis will increase the company’s production in the Midwest with annotation, full paint facilities, mechanical repair and patented 360-degree, high-definition photography. Located in Greenfield, Ind., an Indianapolis suburb, […] [Read More]

AutoNation Honda Hollywood has taken many steps to lower its energy costs and reduce its environmental impact in the community. Some of those steps include installing energy-efficient lighting and HVAC systems and state-of-the-art LED lighting in the interior and exterior of the dealership. Because of actions like that, AutoNation Honda Hollywood has been named a […] [Read More]

Kerrigan Advisors tabulated the figures and discovered the dealership buy/sell market recorded another year of tremendous activity in 2018, generating 6.9 percent in growth above the 2017 level and marking the fifth consecutive year of more than 200 transactions. According to The Blue Sky Report’s Year in Review released this week, analysts indicated 216 transactions […] [Read More]

Electric vehicle designer and manufacturer Fisker describes founder Henrik Fisker as an “EV pioneer” and a “world-renowned, American automotive icon.” Among his company’s highlights through the years is the Fisker Flexible Solid-State Battery, which the company says “is ushering in a new era in fast charging, safety and range.” Now as part of its new […] [Read More]

Those used vehicles on your front line and highlighted on your store website — especially certified pre-owned models — are going to look even more appealing if a new report from Edmunds is any indication. Edmunds projected on Wednesday that used-vehicle sales in 2019 are poised to hit the highest level since the recession. In […] [Read More]

Texas-based Snell Automotive Group now has a Blue Oval rooftop in Oklahoma to go with its portfolio of luxury showrooms in the Lone Star State. The dealer group announced on Thursday that it has purchased Bob Hurley Ford in Tulsa, Okla. Snell Automotive Group said in a news release that the dealership will be renamed […] [Read More]

Carvana is now established in nine Texas markets after adding three more in the Lone Star State on Tuesday. The company said via a news release that its e-commerce platform for buying and selling used vehicles is now available to consumers in Killeen, College Station and Waco. “Today’s launches put us in nine markets in […] [Read More]

I am just old enough to remember from reruns a black-and-white TV sitcom, “Car 54, Where Are You?” The show originally ran on NBC from 1961 to 1963. I do recall, somewhat painfully, hearing a similar phrase echoing through our showroom and used-car operation during my more recent days as a former dealership owner and […] [Read More]

J.D. Power notes that its new lead-generation tool for dealer websites provides dealers with qualified leads and increases their used-vehicle inventory. Using the Value My Car tool with the J.D. Power consumer brand, web visitors can learn the value of their vehicle in exchange for their email address, according to the data and analytics company. […] [Read More]