Driving Solutions
Titling can be a complex and time-intensive part of the car purchase process. With strong sales volumes expected in the back half of the year and car buyers wanting to spend less time at the dealership, the time is now for managers to devise more efficient strategies. On this episode of Driving Solutions, host Jim Fitzpatrick is joined by Kaitlin Gavin, vice president of operations for dealer solutions at Cox Automotive, John Devlin, the CEO and president of the Pennsylvania Automotive Association and Steve Hoffman, senior vice president of the Virginia Automobile Dealers Association to discuss tried-and-true methods for improving the titling process. Watch full segment here.
Top Stories
The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is conducting an investigation into self-driving vehicles operated by Cruise, a robotaxi brand owned by General Motors. Although the DMV is examining multiple traffic incidents involving the self-driving subsidiary, the probe was announced almost immediately after a Cruise vehicle collided with a San Francisco fire truck on August 17. Read More
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an investigation into Ford Motor Company‘s handling of a 2022 recall that affected nearly 49,000 Mustang Mach-E vehicles. Ford initiated the recall due to an issue with the Mach-E’s high-voltage battery main contactors. There were reports of the components overheating as a consequence of both DC fast charging and frequent rapid acceleration. Read More
Lamborghini unveiled its first fully electric vehicle, the Lanzador, during the Monterey Car Week show on August 18. The new model, advertised as a battery-powered “supercar,” is slated to enter production in 2028. In a release, Lamborghini said the Lanzador would feature “peak power of over one megawatt” or 1,341 horsepower, making it the company’s most powerful entry to date. Read More
Jim Marsh, a Las Vegas car dealer, says he became the target of a real-estate scam earlier this year involving a 42-acre plot of land in Colorado. Marsh, who owns Kia, Jeep and Chrysler storefronts in Nevada, originally intended to use the land as a vehicle auction site but began looking for a buyer after the plans fell through. However, in early 2023, an individual claiming to be the 89-year-old car dealer convinced a real estate agency to list the site for $900,000, well below market value. Read More
For Dealers
Opinion | California’s power grid conundrum: are EV batteries the solution?
California, known for its progressive environmental policies, is grappling with an electric grid crisis. Recent brownouts and electricity disruptions, reminiscent of those seen in developing nations, are a testament to the state’s ongoing energy challenges. The state’s primary electric utility, PG&E, believes it has a novel solution: tapping into electric vehicle (EV) batteries. Read More
Group 1 offloads 4 dealerships, Lithia Motors sells last remaining North Dakota stores
M&A activity has remained strong over the past few weeks, with Group 1 Automotive and other dealer groups making notable buy/sell deals throughout the U.S. Group 1 Automotive has been busy in the past month as it sold four dealerships throughout three states. This included Nissan of Mobile in Alabama, which was sold on July 31 to growing auto group Tameron Gulf Coast. The dealership has reportedly been renamed Tameron Nissan. Read More
