DALLAS — The purchase and financing of an average-priced new vehicle accounted for 23.2 weeks of median family income in the fourth quarter, an improvement of 0.5 weeks, according to Comerica Bank. Consumers spent an average of $700 less, down 3 percent, on a new car in the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, the cost of financing a […] [Read More]

Apparently, one doesn’t have to go all the way to Gotham City to find the Batmobile. Early next month, Batman’s iconic ride will be auctioned off at the fifth annual Auctions America by RM Collector Cars of Fort Lauderdale sale. The sale — which is taking place March 4 through March 6 at the Greater […] [Read More]

As its automaker peers and other industry-related companies rolled out commercials during the FOX network’s coverage of Super Bowl XLV earlier this month, Subaru of America said it took a different approach to fetch consumer interest on Super Bowl Sunday. And apparently, it worked. The automaker said it achieved a social-engagement record from a promotion […] [Read More]

Along with some surprising price movement for certified pre-owned models, AutoTrader.com noticed interesting consumer trends although fuel prices are on an upward track. According to AutoTrader.com’s January Trend Engine Report, trucks and SUVs accounted for 12 of the top 20 most-searched used vehicles, 11 of the top 20 most-searched CPO models and nine of the […] [Read More]

The automaker whose average discounts in February are showing the strongest month-over-month growth is Nissan, which replaced Mercedes-Benz at the top of the list, according to the latest TrueTrends Reports from TrueCar.com. So which day this month is believed to be the most ideal for car buying?. According to the analysis, Feb. 26 tops the […] [Read More]

Penske Automotive Group revealed Wednesday it has canceled the development of a five-door smart model in response to its discussions about shifting U.S. distribution and other activities for the smart brand to Mercedes-Benz. Furthermore, boosted by double-digit gains in total retail sales and same-store retail sales revenues at U.S. operations, Penske reported a fourth-quarter income jump of more […] [Read More]

Two economists will provide insight and analysis into the future of the Canadian used-car market during the 2011 Auto Remarketing Canada conference, which will be presented by CarProof. Auto Remarketing Canada, which will be held April 12-14 at the Hyatt Regency Toronto, will welcome Carlos Gomes, senior economist at Scotia Capital, and Michael Hatch, chief […] [Read More]

The distribution rights of smart USA — as well as the management, sales and marketing for the brand — are slated to be shifted completely over to Mercedes-Benz USA within the first half of 2011, according to plans shared Monday. Currently, these activities are handled by Penske Automotive Group, which began talks this week with Mercedes-Benz USA […] [Read More]

In what appears to be a major sign of progress for the global auto market, worldwide new light-vehicle sales in 2011 are likely to reach an annual record for the second year in a row thank largely to s a healthier global economy, according to J.D. Power and Associates. The firm also said that U.S. […] [Read More]

GWC Warranty said Tuesday that it has added another state to its network. The company now offers vehicle service options in Florida. The latest addition means GWC now provides its services in 38 states on the U.S. mainland. Just last month, GWC revealed that it had hired Brandon Johns to serve as Southeastern United States […] [Read More]