With the automaker apparently aiming to bolster its presence this key market, a customer experience organization was revealed late last week by Volkswagen of America as well as who will fill the newly created position of heading up customer experience.  VW announced that head of sales Mark Barnes has been named vice president of customer […] [Read More]

While working with one of my clients covering a strategy on changing the price of a vehicle he had priced at $15,298, my first reaction was to tell him to reduce it down to $14,995 so he wouldn’t miss any searches done up to $15,000 because of $298. Then it dawned on me, don’t change […] [Read More]

Autobytel is seeing its financial standing make a positive turn as the company posted a net income — not a net loss — during the second quarter. Company officials highlighted their second-quarter net income came in at $199,000, a stark contrast from the year-ago reading, which was a net loss of $3.0 million. Even in […] [Read More]

Nissan announced late last week that consumers will now be able to utilize Quick Response (QR) codes found on window stickers across its entire lineup to learn more about each model — starting with 2012 models. The OEM’s campaign — “On Vehicle Graphics” — was first launched in June, coinciding with the release of the […] [Read More]

Two Canadian auto lenders have struck a deal that is designed to help their mutual dealer customers in Ontario more easily facilitate subprime car loans. In talks between leaders of the two lenders — subprime lender Cars on Credit and floor-plan financer Clubb Finance Corp. — the companies both emphasized that dealers were most concerned […] [Read More]

Carfinco Income Fund has pushed its record streak to nine quarters, the company announced this week. Reporting $5.8 million in second-quarter pre-income tax earnings, Carfinco now has broken records in this metric each quarter beginning with the second quarter of 2009. In that period that kicked off the record streak, Carfinco generated pre-tax income of […] [Read More]

The Canadian new-vehicle market softened almost 5 percent amid “a very mixed bag” in a month that saw Japanese brands continue to struggle with inventory issues while other automakers enjoyed skyrocketing sales, according to DesRosiers Automotive Consultants. Overall, there were 141,472 new-car sales in Canada during July, a 4.9-percent drop from a year ago. Year-to-date sales […] [Read More]

General Motors has pushed its streak of profitable quarters to six with the most recently completed period, and the company’s top boss stressed during a conference call Thursday the continued importance of three fundamentals to GM’s success. In wrapping up his opening remarks during the call, GM chairman and chief executive officer Dan Akerson boiled […] [Read More]

Chrysler Group is bringing back the same cluster of minivans it already summoned once this year. The automaker informed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration it is recalling nearly 300,000 minivans, this time to replace the occupant restraint control modules. The recall covers Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country from the 2008 model […] [Read More]

In his five years as Ford’s chief executive, Alan Mulally has testified before Congress, talked with reporters, delivered keynote speeches and addressed the shareholders of America’s second-largest automaker. But earlier this week, he faced a speaking engagement of a different sort: an interview with dry-witted funnyman David Letterman. [Read More]