CBT automotive newscast: August 23, 2022

Inside Automotive:

COO Ed Roberts discusses shifting to a pre-order model at Bozard Ford Lincoln
Almost everyone in retail automotive is experiencing or talking about high-profit margins and low vehicle inventory. On this edition of Inside Automotive, we’re talking to Ed Roberts, Chief Operations Officer of Bozard Ford Lincoln, about the best practices that are making his dealership successful today. Watch the complete segment here.

Headlines:

In a tweet this past Sunday, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced the company will increase the price of its vehicles premium driver assistance system by 25%, an increase of $3,000. Tesla’s full self-driving system, or FSD, goes beyond Tesla’s standard autopilot package and is currently being beta tested by 100,000 drivers, with the newest beta version being rolled out last week. Musk has stated that “FSD will be available to anyone who requests it by the end of this year.” This comes despite ongoing criticism and investigations by the NHTSA regarding collisions involving Tesla vehicles using driver assistance systems. Read More

Porsche has stated it expects to build as many units of its full-electric Macan compact crossovers as the current version. Porsche production boss Albrecht Reimold said in an interview the company aims to match the 80,000 units per year of the current generation of vehicles. The full-electric version of the Macan is scheduled for production starting in 2024 in Germany. The electric vehicle will be Porsche’s second full-electric model, after the current Taycan coupe. Read More

Dodge has revealed a new concept car as a preview for its first all-electric muscle car, which will replace the company’s gas-powered Dodge Challenger and Charger. The two-door coupe is dubbed the Charger Daytona SRT, and the concept vehicle features a design reminiscent of the current Dodge Challenger. The futuristic electric vehicle includes features designed to enhance the performance capabilities, making it more like the muscle cars that Dodge is famous for. Read More

The microchip shortage may be worse than reported, according to AutoForecast Solutions. More than 3 million vehicles have already been cut from automakers’ production schedules this year as a result of the shortage, and another 66,800 vehicles were added to the list this week. This brings the total chip-related production cuts to nearly 3.1 million vehicles, on top of the 10.5 million from 2021. The company says even these numbers may be underrepresented, as several automakers have shut down factories for reasons such as parts shortages affected by the global supply chain. These shutdowns could be masking the number of automakers affected by the microchip shortage. Read More

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