FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -

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 the auto group’s sales decline.

A breakdown of AutoNation’s operating segments showed the July sales total settled as follows:

—6,142 for domestic, up 3 percent versus July.
—9,323 for import, down 12 percent versus July.
—3,484 for premium luxury, up 11 percent versus July.

AutoNation Opens Fiat Store in Atlanta

Several top executives from Chrysler Group and AutoNation attended Wednesday’s official grand opening of Team FIAT Mall of Georgia in the greater Atlanta area.

Located at 3547 Buford Drive, Team FIAT Mall of Georgia is AutoNation’s second Fiat location. In March, AutoNation opened Power FIAT of South Bay in Torrance, Calif.

AutoNation plans to open a total of seven Fiat dealerships in the U.S.

Along with Laura Soave, head of Fiat Brand North America, Wednesday’s festivities included AutoNation chairman and chief executive officer Mike Jackson and president and chief operating officer Mike Maroone.

“We are excited about adding Fiat to our automotive lineup. The Fiat 500 is an eye-catching car that customers can’t wait to drive,” said Jackson, whose new store incorporated test drives of the 500 and 500 Cabrio, along with refreshments of biscotti and cappuccinos as part of its grand opening.

Fiat Brand North America now has three opened Fiat stores in the Atlanta area. Team FIAT Mall of Georgia is one of 94 Fiat rooftops that have opened this year in the United States.

Soave insisted that “We are delighted to have AutoNation as part of our family.

“The broad footprint of AutoNation in the United States will allow us to introduce our Cinquecento to potential customers and FIAT enthusiasts across the country,” she added.

AutoNation’s Maroone Joins TrueCar Board of Directors

In other company news announced Wednesday, TrueCar revealed Maroone agreed to join its board of directors.

TrueCar highlighted Maroone boasts many years of industry experience. He joined AutoNation in 1997 as president of the new-vehicle division and since 1999 has served as the company’s president and COO.

“His leadership has been critical to the company’s efforts at driving change within the industry and providing bold new ideas that are moving automotive retail forward,” TrueCar declared.

“AutoNation stands apart for its emphasis on fast and customer-focused transactions, and the company has recently introduced innovations such as a new Web-based pricing tool,” the company continued.

TrueCar anticipates Maroone will be able to leverage his strategic and developmental experience, supporting the site’s mission to provide a profitable, sustainable business model that is committed to dealership success in the fast-changing retail landscape of the 21st century.

“In our industry, we always have to listen to our customers. The auto shoppers’ needs are quickly changing, and TrueCar is at the forefront of this dramatic shift in the world of automotive retail,” Maroone noted.

“More than ever, the consumer wants to be informed and empowered — and dealers must embrace transparency and clarity in pricing in order to thrive. I believe TrueCar is playing a crucial role in changing the marketplace,” he added.

TrueCar went on to emphasize Maroone’s involvement comes at a time when transparency and upfront pricing have become “essential” to the long-term health of the auto sales industry.

TrueCar founder and CEO Scott Painter pointed out that consumers and dealers are taking note of the shift as TrueCar recently announced it facilitated the sale of its 300,000th vehicle through its nationwide dealer network and has saved consumers over $1 billion cumulatively to date.

“We are now living in an intelligent, data-driven automotive marketplace,” Painter stressed.

“Mike Maroone joining our board of directors reflects a true inflection point — a key illustration that we have moved from start-up to impactful profitable growth company changing the way cars are sold,” Painter continued.

“Because we at TrueCar are dedicated to the continued success of the American car dealer, we are excited to tap into Mike’s rich understanding of the auto retail economy,” Painter concluded.