April 21, 2016 — Berkshire Hathaway Automotive finds itself the victim of the law of unintended consequences in Texas’ fight to keep electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla from selling direct to consumers. The problem is that Texas’ legislation prohibiting manufacturers from selling vehicles directly to customers in the state was written so broadly that it includes… Continue Reading
February 3, 2017 — Holman Automotive is expected to name longtime BMW executive Peter Witt as its Platform Vice President for the Northeast today, The Banks Report has learned. Witt will lead Holman’s 10 dealerships in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and will report to Gene Welsh, the group’s executive vice president. Holman is one of… Continue Reading
February 2, 2017 — As the National Automobile Dealers Assn. celebrated its 100 year anniversary at its annual convention in New Orleans last week, it capped an nine year period that might have been its toughest, yet finest hour. But 2017 brings a new set of daunting challenges. Playing Defense For the last nine years, the association…
January 15, 2017 — Two words best describe this year’s Detroit Auto Show — Trump and autonomy. The vehicles? They were nearly an afterthought during press days at the North American International Auto Show (the show’s official moniker). Despite coming on the heels of a second consecutive record breaking year for sales, the mood on… Continue Reading
January 12, 2017 — The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today accused Fiat Chrysler of violating the Clean Air Act by using software to hide excess diesel emissions in 104,000 vehicles. Following the news, FCA stocks dropped more than 16% forcing the halt share trading for the automaker. The EPA claims FCA installed and failed to… Continue Reading
The autonomous and connected vehicle news coming out of the CES show this week in Las Vegas was fast and furious. The show’s automotive exhibit has become perhaps, the most important auto show in the country. In fact, CES’ growing popularity has forced both Los Angeles and Detroit to incorporate a mobility-related focus into their…
January 3, 2017 — Days prior to the opening of Detroit’s North American International Auto Show, Ford Motor Co.’s President and CEO Mark Fields dropped several bombshells outlining the automaker’s strategy the next three years. Addressing the media and UAW members at Ford’s Flat Rock, MI assembly plant, Fields announced the company is cancelling plans it… Continue Reading
January 2, 2017 — Beck Chevrolet scored another big legal win last week in its five-year battle with General Motors over how it measures sales effectiveness of its dealers and the decision could have a far reaching impact on the overall relationship manufacturers have with their dealers. The ruling last week by New York’s Second… Continue Reading
December 1, 2016 — Following a three year battle amidst tough opposition from car dealers in Virginia, Tesla Motors won the right to open a second store in the state. Tesla says it will begin construction on the store, which is slated for Richmond. It will be the second Tesla dealership in Virginia that is allowed to… Continue Reading
November 28, 2016 — Is a potential battle looming between automakers and tech firms with the government over security issues with over-the-air updates made possible by connected car technology? Billions of dollars are at stake for automakers, technology firms and even dealers, but comments from various government officials over the last several months indicate OTAs… Continue Reading