BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. — For the second time in just over a month, Penske Automotive Group has opened a new Mini store in the group's Western region, as it unveiled a 17,500-square-foot facility in Austin, Texas, on Tuesday. Mini of Austin's debut comes just five weeks after Penske opened Mini of Tempe to serve the Phoenix […] [Read More]

SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Ford, which said Tuesday it earned $2.1 billion in first-quarter net profit, is on pace to move ahead of Toyota and climb back into the No. 2 spot for yearly U.S. auto sales for the first time since 2006, according to Edmunds.com. Ford has finished third in full-year U.S. auto sales in […] [Read More]

HOUSTON — Thanks largely to improvements in its business structure as well as a healthier auto environment, Group 1 made what its president and chief executive officer called a "strong start" to the year. Adjusted net income for the first quarter came in at $10.4 million, up from $4.7 million in the year-ago period. The most […] [Read More]

LIVONIA, Mich. — It's not just drivers that need to be leery of rising "unconventional" vehicle theft-related crimes in Michigan. Dealers, too, have fallen prey to these thieves lately and should remain vigilant and educated about the rather creative methods culprits are using to snatch cars, according to Help Eliminate Auto Theft (H.E.A.T.), an organization that […] [Read More]

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Sonic Automotive said it compiled strong first-quarter results with its retail used-vehicle operation leading the way.  Executives said Tuesday that during the first quarter, the company recorded net income of $4.15 million, up from $1.68 million a year ago. Adjusted earnings from continuing operations were $0.14 per share, compared to $0.10 per share last year.  Sonic explained […] [Read More]

ATLANTA and SEATTLE — Contact At Once, a provider of dealer chat software, and Cobalt announced a new partnership on Tuesday. The deal means an enhanced version of Contact At Once's chat solution can be integrated into Cobalt's dealer Web site suite. Executives highlighted that dealers now can support more shoppers' natural communications preferences with the […] [Read More]

WESTERVILLE, Ohio — AVV, a division of Dominion Dealer Solutions, launched two new products this week in what executives called part of a larger initiative to increase lead conversions. The first product is WebResponse, e-mail templates that AVV said can offer personalized message customization for dealers. Executives explained that dealers can select from multiple style variations […] [Read More]

HERNDON, Va. — Audi of America is looking to further leverage the exposure one of its vehicles is receiving in the film Iron Man 2. The automaker on Tuesday announced an online social-media contest called "The Tony Stark Innovation Challenge" that stems from the movie character's use of the Audi R8 and other technological advances. Starting Wednesday, […] [Read More]

PARK RIDGE, N.J. — Hertz Global Holdings has signed an agreement to buy Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group in a move officials said will help Hertz grow its global footprint and become the second largest vehicle-rental company in the U.S., among other benefits. Hertz is paying approximately $1.2 billion in cash and stock to acquire Dollar Thrifty. […] [Read More]

FREDERICK, Md. — The National Auto Auction Association put some concrete numbers behind what dealers have been seeing for a while — shrinking wholesale volumes and rising vehicle prices. NAAA noted on Monday that year-to-date auction volume is off by 10.3 percent compared to the same time frame last year. The association broke down the AuctionNet volume […] [Read More]