ICYMI: New-vehicle prices reach 2026 high as buyers shift toward lower-cost segments. GM creates a $4.5 billion parts facility to protect the supply chain. Mexico pushes for lower auto tariffs as USMCA talks press on, WSJ reports. Ford to end China-built Lincoln Nautilus imports, shift production to U.S. Polestar dealer sues automaker for $25M over U.S. market exit.
Here’s a closer look at these top stories and more headlines to stay on top of this week’s automotive industry news.
New-vehicle prices reach 2026 high as buyers shift toward lower-cost segments
The average transaction price (ATP) of new vehicles climbed to $49,855 in July, according to Kelley Blue Book. This represents a 1.9% year-over-year increase and a 0.2% increase from June. Typically, July sees a 0.1% monthly decline in ATP, making this increase particularly noteworthy. Despite this rise, ATP remains below the record high of $50,612 set in December 2025. Read more
GM creates $4.5 billion parts facility to protect supply chain
General Motors has established a purchasing facility worth up to $4.5 billion with Procura Auto Parts, seeking to help GM secure rare or critical parts and reduce the risk of supply chain disruptions. A bank syndicate led by JPMorgan Chase and Banco Santander will provide funding to prepay select suppliers on GM’s behalf. Read more
Mexico pushes for lower auto tariffs as USMCA talks press on, WSJ reports
Mexico has floated a new tariff structure in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) talks that would tax only the portion of a vehicle’s value built outside North America, according to The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the negotiations. If adopted, the change could lower the effective tariff rate on many vehicles built in Mexico and Canada and ease pricing pressure dealers have been bracing for since last year. Read more
Ford to end China-built Lincoln Nautilus imports, shift production to U.S.
Ford will stop importing the Lincoln Nautilus from China to the United States, and plans to expand production of the Lincoln brand in the U.S. starting in 2030. According to a Reuters report, the automaker has manufactured the Nautilus in Hangzhou, China, since 2024, through its joint venture, Changan Ford. Read more
Polestar dealer sues automaker for $25M over U.S. market exit
A New Jersey-based Polestar retailer, Prestige Imports, filed a lawsuit against the automaker seeking at least $25 million, claiming that the automaker had been planning to exit the U.S. market for years, even before the U.S. Commerce Department denied authorization for the company to sell 2027-model-year vehicles and later models. Read more
Next Week: Exclusive Interviews You Can’t Miss
How Curbee helps dealers cut mobile service drive time
Mobile service is becoming a bigger part of how dealers compete for repeat business, and the technology behind it is starting to matter as much as the vans and techs themselves. Amit Chandarana, CEO of Curbee, and Ed Roberts, General Manager of Bozard Ford Lincoln join us on an upcoming episode of Inside Automotive to discuss how Curbee helped cut down on “windshield time” and increase service appointments.
How one dealer uses social media to generate 1,000 leads a month
While many automotive leaders still view social media as little more than a digital billboard to post inventory, Matt Hogan sees it as the modern engine of dealership operations. As the Vice President of Infiniti North Miami and Palm Beach Mitsubishi, Hogan has leveraged personal, authentic content to transform his stores into powerhouse locations. On an upcoming episode of Inside Automotive episode, Hogan shares how putting the human element front and center on social media generates thousands of leads and solves one of the industry’s toughest challenges, which is recruiting top talent.
