On the same day the company unveiled a new Fiat dealership, AutoNation revealed its retail new-vehicle unit sales for July. AutoNation tabulated Wednesday that it moved 18,949 new units in July, a figure 4 percent lower than the same month last year. It appears that the production issues plaguing Japanese automakers played a role in […] [Read More]

In the aftermath of the Japanese earthquake that halted vehicle production and pushed down the amount of trade-ins coming into dealerships, Rod Emmons — like many dealers selling certified pre-owned Japanese-brand cars — “had to get creative” when it came to sourcing CPO-worthy inventory. “It’s getting harder to obtain pre-owned Acuras,” said Emmons, who is […] [Read More]

Brian Benstock, a Honda and Acura dealer in Queens, N.Y., responded with shock. What inspired this top Honda dealer to such emotion? On Monday, Consumer Reports announced it simply cannot recommend the redesigned Honda Civic, going so far as to call the vehicle "mediocre." In its report issued Monday, Consumer Reports called the redesigned 2012 […] [Read More]

Similar to another Japanese automaker, Toyota Motor Corp., shared Tuesday that it suffered significant financial setbacks during the first quarter of the 2011 fiscal year. But Toyota leadership is so confident in its future that it raised sales and revenue expectations. By how much did the OEM boost its forecast? Toyota believes it will move […] [Read More]

Ford told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration it will recall more than 1 million trucks to replace fuel tank straps. The recall includes these units: —Ford F-150 from 1997 through 2004 model years. —Ford F-250 with a gross vehicle weight rating of less than 8,500 pounds from 1997 through 1999 model years. —Lincoln Blackwood […] [Read More]

While the first-quarter financial numbers might look bleak, revised sales forecasts and other signs point toward Honda Motor Co., making a strong recovery as its 2011 fiscal year continues, especially on the heels of strengthening certified pre-owned sales. First, here is the unsightly news that came out Monday. Honda’s first-quarter consolidated net income totaled 31.7 […] [Read More]

Subaru of America turned to the digital sector of the auto industry to find its new chief marketing officer. The company announced late last week that taking on the CMO post effective Sept. 7 is Dean Evans, who most recently held that same role with Dealer.com. His 23 years of experience in the auto industry […] [Read More]

The industry hit used-car sales in the neighborhood of 4.5 million units in June, and Edmunds.com pricing manager Richard Arca expects July’s used total to reflect "something very, very similar." It would appear then that the used market remains fairly stable, as June’s used sales was also rather steady (up 0.9 percent) when compared to […] [Read More]

BMW of North America will have a new president beginning Oct. 1 to fill the shoes of Jim O’Donnell when he retires. Appointed to the position is Ludwig Willisch, who at the moment heads up BMW Group’s European sales region. O’Donnell, meanwhile, has served in the North American president’s post since 2008. BMW says it […] [Read More]

Late last week, Carfax revealed its newest partner. Internet sales lead generator Cargigi is now offering the company’s vehicle history reports for its online listings. Subscribing dealers will now be privy to Carfax’s vehicle history information, which can be added to their inventory marketed online. Providing this information up-front to online shoppers builds confidence and […] [Read More]