Lithia Motors has bought its first store in West Virginia, the dealer group said Wednesday.  West Virginia is now the 19th state in the expanding Lithia network as the company added Ford Lincoln of Morgantown, which was previously named Freedom Ford. The group said the new addition is an example of how Lithia acquires stores “with […] [Read More]

Before Wednesday, Carvana already had a strong presence in Florida. That presence got even stronger as the company announced it would expand in central Florida, offering as-soon-as-next-day vehicle delivery to Lakeland and North Port. Carvana founder and chief executive officer Ernie Garcia said in a news release that some of the company’s earliest markets were in […] [Read More]

Digital marketing company TRADER Corp. and inventory management software company vAuto say that with their new AutoWriter automated description writing tool, retailers can create vehicle descriptions in less than one minute. The companies say the tool simplifies auto retailers’ merchandising process and improves the quality of their online vehicle listings. TRADER invested in offering AutoWriter […] [Read More]

Manheim now has its first all-digital auction location: Manheim Tucson. The Arizona auction is Manheim’s first to incorporate a 100% digital format, utilizing a four-lane setup where cars are parked in designated spots and sold to buyers both physically present at the facility and online. An auctioneer has them up for sale digitally through oversized […] [Read More]

Mobile customer engagement and geofencing company Mobile Dealer says customers of Trophy Automotive Dealer Group are demanding a mobile experience when they research, purchase and engage with their preferred Trophy dealerships. Mobile Dealer says the collaboration with Trophy has allowed the dealer group to enhance its digital strategy.  “Adapting to meet consumers’ digital demands with […] [Read More]

A new two-tiered vehicle subscription service from car rental company Hertz includes one tier that offers full-size sedans, small SUVs and trucks and another tier that offers luxury sedans, regular SUVs and large trucks. In announcing the new service — called Hertz My Car — the company said it will give customers more flexibility and […] [Read More]

A hacker can access the steering wheel or the brakes of your automobile. Sixty-one percent of connected vehicle owners who responded to a recent survey did not know that. And 33% did not know that hackers can gain access to a connected vehicle using a key fob as a potential pathway. The new study from […] [Read More]

KAR Auction Services says the new consumer-direct vehicle transportation and logistics services business of its CarsArrive Network will provide services directly to consumers. Those consumers can be individuals or corporate/commercial clients. The retail relocation business is called CarsArrive Auto Relocation, and it will allow consumers to ship their car anywhere in the United States. Consumers […] [Read More]

On Thursday, the Federal Communications Commission will consider a proposal the chairman calls bold action to help consumers block unwanted robocalls but is being questioned by 10 different industry associations, including the American Financial Services Association. FCC chairman Ajit Pai has circulated a declaratory ruling that, if adopted, would allow phone companies to block unwanted […] [Read More]

AUL Corp., in partnership with Vision Dealer Solutions, recently launched an AUL branded F&I menu platform. AUL chief information officer Jose Fleites explained these menus are touch-based sales tools containing all of the F&I options dealers can offer to vehicle buyers toward the end the delivery process. The new platform will offer all of AUL’s […] [Read More]