BMW and Manheim recently rolled out a new company car distribution and processing center on the campus of the BMW Spartanburg assembly plant in South Carolina that will be used to deliver, recondition and redistribute the automaker’s company cars. Manheim Greer — a more than 20,000-square-foot center — held its grand opening even for employees […] [Read More]

After having to send its employees home last week without pay, Saab’s future is looking a little rosier as the automaker negotiates potential funding to satisfy creditors and re-start production at its idled Trolhatten plant. On the heels of announcing Monday that an unnamed Chinese company put in an order to purchase 582 Saab Vehicles […] [Read More]

Probably not what dealers wanted to hear going into the important Fourth of July sales stretch, but The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index took another tumble. Officials said Tuesday that the index — which had declined in May — decreased again in June. The index now stands at 58.5, down from 61.7 in May. They […] [Read More]

DrivingSales revealed earlier this week that submissions for its second annual DrivingSales Innovation Cup Award are now open. The award, which will be announced this fall at the DrivingSales Executive Summit in Las Vegas, spotlights what dealers find to be the most innovative dealership solution of 2011. Dealers can nominate their vendors, who can also […] [Read More]

Dealers may see an influx of customers as falling gas prices allow consumers to spend more on what they drive and less while filling their vehicles’ tanks, the National Automobile Dealers Association’s top economist reported late last week. Dealers have been digesting reports of supply shortages and high gas prices hurting the economy for months […] [Read More]

Just a few years ago, dealership doors in the U.S. were slamming shut as auto sales floundered and two of the Big 3 automakers went through bankruptcy. But in a stark difference to what happened in the overall American auto industry in recent times, Nissan said Monday it  is aiming to increase its global dealership […] [Read More]

Carfax revealed Monday that it has hired a longtime remarketing veteran to serve as its national director for strategic partners. Appointed to the role is Don Elliott, whose more than 20 years in the industry includes time with companies such as ADESA and Mazda. In his new role, Elliott heads up the company’s campaign to […] [Read More]

Ford’s No. 1 boss has received a top-flight honor from his contemporaries in the corporate world, who picked him as 2011 Chief Executive of the Year. Alan Mulally, Ford’s chief executive officer, joins a list of winners of the Chief Executive magazine’s honor that includes such leaders as Bill Gates, Jack Welch and Michael Dell. […] [Read More]

J.D. Power and Associates insisted new-vehicle retail sales have rebounded during the first half of June as consumers — despite mixed economic signals — returned to dealerships. Analysts pegged June new-vehicle retail sales to come in at 884,800 units, which represents a seasonally adjusted annualized rate (SAAR) of 9.9 million units. They pointed out the […] [Read More]

Cars.com unveiled the site’s annual American Made Index Monday, and for the third consecutive year the Toyota Camry took the top spot. The Camry, which is assembled in Georgetown, Ky. and Lafayette, Ind., is followed by the Honda Accord and the Chevy Malibu, which were ranked No. 2 and No. 3 respectively. This year’s list […] [Read More]