Earlier this month, Chrysler Canada celebrated the official return of the Fiat brand to the country by parading more than 200 Fiat 500 vehicles from the Quebec Business Centre along the TransCanada Highway to their respective dealerships. “We are thrilled that the first highly anticipated Fiat 500s have started to land on Canadian soil because […] [Read More]

Because Marcus Breitschwerdt accepted a new company position in the United Kingdom, Daimler AG tapped a new president and chief executive officer for Mercedes-Benz Canada. Succeeding Breitschwerdt in this role effective today is Tim Reuss, who has been with Daimler for the past 24 years. Company officials made the decision since Breitschwerdt has taken on […] [Read More]

CarMax established a myriad of financial performance records during its 2011 fiscal year as the company reported net sales and operating revenues, comparable-store used unit sales and total used unit sales all climbed by double digits. Executives shared Thursday that their fourth-quarter net sales and operating revenues increased 23 percent to $2.25 billion from $1.83 […] [Read More]

In an update on Thursday, Honda announced that it is now anticipating that production disruptions in the U.S. and Canada will go beyond April 15. The automaker said it is doing everything it can to keep its plants operating without extensive interruptions. “The vast majority of Honda’s parts and materials are sourced here in North America. […] [Read More]

Chevrolet is enjoying total sales numbers for Cruze that are more than more than triple those of the Cobalt, the unit the new 2011 model replaced in the brand’s lineup. The automaker declared Thursday that the Cruze is on track to exceed 50,000 total sales during the first quarter. Chevrolet also calculated retail sales are […] [Read More]

FordDirect claims its lead volume for both the new and used vehicles has climbed by more than 20 percent year over year while the remainder of the industry has stayed flat. How can company leadership make such an assertion? Executive vice president of marketing Stacey Coopes says it stems from slightly changing the value proposition […] [Read More]

While not an exact predictor of used- or new-vehicle sales, the Business Roundtable’s first quarter CEO Economic Outlook Survey released Wednesday shared some uplifting sentiments that could eventually lead to more buyers at dealer showrooms. The survey that gathers opinions of chief executive officers of America’s leading companies indicates these business leaders anticipate higher sales […] [Read More]

The ongoing challenges in the supply chain in Japan given the breadth of damage left by the quake and tsunami have led Honda headquarters to reach out to its U.S. and Canadian counterparts asking them to make “temporary adjustments” to reduce production levels. According to an updated statement from the automaker, “As a result of […] [Read More]

Volvo Trucks in North America announced Wednesday that in response to increased demand, the company will ramp up production at its New River Valley, Va., plant and recall approximately 700 employees. Through February, Volvo Trucks determined that it increased its combined U.S. and Canadian retail sales volume 47 percent versus the same period last year. […] [Read More]

Today, retail automobile dealers are considered to be successful if they achieve a 2 percent net-to-sales return. Compared to general business net returns of 15 – 20 percent, the automobile dealer’s return is staggeringly low. In addition, automobile dealerships require an extraordinary amount of investment capital. After the recent economic downturn, dealerships now have to […] [Read More]