At the 2025 NADA Show in New Orleans, Jim Fitzpatrick sat down with Kevin Tynan, a familiar face on CBT News and now Director of Research at The Presidio Group. Transitioning from his role at Bloomberg Intelligence, Tynan brings fresh insights on critical issues like inventory challenges, market dynamics, and the evolving landscape for automakers and dealers. Their conversation dives into the numbers driving fourth-quarter success, the implications of overcapacity, and what lies ahead for EV adoption and Stellantis’ strategy in North America.
Key Takeaways:
- Tynan highlighted the strong sales volume in December 2024, driven by increased inventory and manufacturer incentives. However, he cautioned that this temporary boost could strain margins and create long-term issues if structural changes, such as reducing capacity, aren’t addressed.
- He also expressed skepticism about the profitability of current EV sales, noting that aggressive discounting is masking financial losses for manufacturers. He also critiqued the practicality of plug-in hybrids (PHEVS), emphasizing their narrow market appeal and limited use case.
- Addressing Stellantis, Tynan stressed the importance of diversifying its North American portfolio beyond Jeep and Ram. He suggested alliances or badge engineering from European operations could help the automaker navigate stricter emissions regulations and ensure long-term viability.
Catch all of CBT News’ coverage of the 2025 NADA Show here.
