January 15, 2016 — Fiat Chrysler Automobiles came out fighting late yesterday in a strongly worded release rejecting the allegations of falsifying sales made in a civil lawsuit filed this week by dealer Ed Napleton. In the statement, FCA called the lawsuit “nothing more than the product of two disgruntled dealers who have failed to perform… Continue Reading
January 14, 2016 — (UPDATED JAN. 15, 2016 7:10 AM — FCA’s Response Below) Hang on to your seats — the latest automotive scandal is beginning to erupt, and this one is going to rock the automotive industry. The news broke yesterday that the Napleton Automotive Group filed a lawsuit in a federal court in Illinois… Continue Reading
January 16, 2016 — For the auto analysts and executives who are projecting 18 million or more in vehicle sales in 2016, take heed. The yellow flags are out, says Mike Jackson, chairman and CEO of AutoNation, the nation’s top dealer group. He followed up on his strong warning last week on CNBC telling attendees… Continue Reading
January 11, 2016 — Acquisitions of an Audi dealership in Austin, TX and a Mercedes Benz store in Freehold, NJ closed out 2015 in what was a record year for dealership buy-sells. Approximately 470 dealerships changed hands according to data compiled by The Banks Report which will be published in the TBR 2015 Dealership Buy-Sell Report…
January 10, 2016 — Cadillac announced late Friday that it has hired Dan Creed to replace Jim Bunnell as its vice president of sales operations in the U.S. Creed spent 12 years at BMW and most recently oversaw the German automaker’s 96 dealers in its Eastern Region. The move comes as the North American International Auto… Continue Reading
January 6, 2015 — Better check your portfolios if you are holding shares in any of the publicly traded dealer groups. stock prices have plunged for each of the seven automotive dealer groups following Monday’s overall market selloff (due to concerns about China), yesterday’s report of softer than expected December sales along with remarks made…
January 5, 2016 — Judging from the lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency against Volkswagen, Porsche and Audi yesterday, it could be several months before the German automaker begins digging out from the mess its cheating on emissions standards created. The lawsuit could be particularly bad for dealers…
Faraday envisions a future where vehicles are autonomous and personal ownership becomes a relic of a bygone era. It’s coming out party is tonight at the Consumer Electronics Show — we’ll see if it brings anything new to the conversation. January 4, 2016 — Over the next few days, headlines will trumpet announcements from the…
December 22, 2015 — Lithia Motors announced its sixth acquisition of 2015 yesterday — the Barton Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Alfa Romeo Fiat dealership in Spokane, WA. The purchase adds to Lithia’s presence in Spokane where it already owns stores selling the BMW, Chevrolet Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, and Subaru brands. Lithia expects the purchase to add approximately… Continue Reading
December 17, 2015 — It was an intense first two weeks in the dealership buy-sell world as transactions involving 38 stores were either closed or announced through December 15. December is shaping up to be a huge month which could put the industry near 500 rooftops exchanging hands in 2015. It’s the biggest two week stretch since The Banks Report…