Paul d'Orleans

Couple of Dealers are coming to ASOTU CON. It may be too early to say for sure, but this might be one of the largest gatherings of Dealers from a variety of franchises and group sizes outside of the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Show. I hope YOU are one of them! #automotieindustry #cardealership

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iSeeCars examined data from more than 1.3 million transactions of 3-year-old used vehicles between November 2022 to April 2023 and determined average cost per 1,000 miles per year for various segments and models. They found that the price per 1,000 miles per year for 3-year-old hybrids ($3,056) was 2.1% lower than that of gas cars ($3,123). More details and insights from Karl Brauer in this story below

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Toyota North America, American Honda Motor Company, Inc., Nissan Motor Corporation, Subaru of America and Mazda North American Operations can be feeling pretty happy about their US Q1 sales. Up by a combined 16pc, with 20pc+ for Toyota and Honda. But the three firms that sell a BEV option in the US (Honda don't quite yet, and Mazda have retreated) saw the all-electric share of their sales mix shrink, even from last year's meagre levels. So they really are all-in on ICEs remaining buoyant and hybrids continuing to be the electrification route of choice. Which is all well and good until that isn't the case. And for companies whose best-selling models shifted almost 2.8mn units in the compact and midsized (European C and D) segments last year, ignoring all-electric in vehicle classes potentially very open to BEVs once compelling models hit the streets looks a risky bet.... https://lnkd.in/efkHe9vt #ev #autosales #toyota

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Zig: Auto industry goes crazy for EVs. Zag: Toyota slow rolls EV rollout. Zig: Toyota is criticized for not investing in EVs. Zag: Toyota sticks to its plan and keeps pushing hybrids. Zig: Auto industry sees a notable slowdown in EV sales. Zag: Lexus secretly plans to turn its popular ES sedan into an electric car. I did not see that one coming. (Also an AutoGuide.com exclusive)

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Subscribe to JATO’s monthly Strategy & Innovation Newsletter, bringing the latest industry news round-up to your inbox. Find the latest edition here: https://hubs.li/Q02tLyZ00 #Automotive #AutomotiveNews #CarNews

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In recent years, several automakers have expanded the age eligibility limits for vehicles in their respective certified pre-owned programs. And although there’s room for improvement, dealers are improving the customer experience in the service department. Both are good signs, given what S&P Global Mobility discovered about the average age of vehicles on the road. Here's why.

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"If you don't make mistakes, you aren't really trying," attributed to Coleman Hawkins, speaks volumes about the nature of learning, growth, and creativity, especially within the realm of music and beyond. Coleman Hawkins, a pioneering jazz musician and tenor saxophonist, underscored the importance of taking risks and embracing errors as a natural part of the creative process. In the world of music, as in life, stepping outside of one's comfort zone and experimenting with new ideas often involves making mistakes. These missteps, however, are not signs of failure; rather, they are indicators of effort, learning, and progress. Hawkins' sentiment encourages us to push the boundaries of our abilities and accept the imperfections along the way. This approach is not only vital for personal development but also for innovation. The willingness to make mistakes — and learn from them — is what leads to discovery and improvement. It reminds us that the path to mastery in any field is paved with countless errors, each providing valuable lessons and insights. Let Hawkins' words be a reminder to us all: to truly excel and discover our potential, we must be willing to try, fail, and try again. It's in the act of striving, making mistakes, and persevering that we find our true strength and creativity.

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Auto execs: The revamped Center for Automotive Research #CARMBS will dissect issues that matter, expand your network and enhance your career. The North American auto industry’s top thought leadership event, here are some highlights you can expect, including General Motors President Mark Reuss: https://bit.ly/45kqDpF #automotive #thoughtleadership

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On this episode of The Auto Authorities Podcast, "Used Car Market Meltdown," hosts Jay Grosman and Gerald Bentley take you behind the scenes of the seismic shift rocking the automotive world. As used car prices nosedive, savvy consumers are pivoting towards new wheels to avoid skyrocketing interest rates. Jay and Gerald will equip you with insider strategies to navigate this unprecedented market upheaval like a pro. Whether you're a seasoned bargain hunter or new to the car-buying game, this insightful episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking to emerge victorious from the used car market chaos. Get ready to buckle up and gain the ultimate competitive edge!

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Maybe GM should consider doing away with its manufacturing plants and have its dealers assemble the company’s vehicles. It appears GM dealers already possess the requisite skills and capabilities. GM has issued a notice that certain 2023 Corvette and 2024 Corvette units may have a condition where the transmission fasteners were improperly torqued. To correct this problem, GM technicians are instructed to inspect affected Corvettes and replace the transmission and all corresponding components, including a coolant flush, as necessary. GM estimates its techs can complete the required repairs WITHIN 18.5 HOURS! GM has also issued a notice that certain units of the 2023 GMC Sierra 1500, 2023 GMC Yukon, 2023 Chevy Silverado 1500, 2023 Chevy Tahoe, and 2023 Chevy Suburban may be equipped with a V8 engine with oversized lifter bores (see second link). To fix this issue, GM is instructing dealers to REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINE! Although GM typically discloses an estimate of the number of vehicles impacted by a so-called “Customer Satisfaction Notice,” it didn’t disclose the number of vehicles it expects will need new transmissions and engines. Perhaps it’s just me, but I’m always concerned taking my Subaru in for a simple oil change. In years past, car dealership service bays were manned by mechanics who appeared to have years of experience. Increasingly, I’ve noticed that service bays are manned by youths who barely look old enough to shave, making me wonder if they are licensed mechanics or technicians working under a mechanic’s license. If Subaru advised me a vehicle I bought needed a new transmission or engine within a year of purchasing it, I’d demand a full refund under California’s stringent lemon laws. Fortunately for GM, its vehicles aren’t popular in America’s biggest automotive market. https://lnkd.in/gne5ia4K https://lnkd.in/gb667SrC #gm #quality #manufacturing

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Great call this week. If you missed it, here was our opening Automotive Economic Update and Our intro to the topic with some great back and forth below in this short clip. David Long The full replay can be heard here: https://lnkd.in/gRvKi_Rf

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Two streaks to keep in mind when wholesale vehicle values: The Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index has decreased on a year-over-year basis for 21 consecutive months. And in May, the index fell below 200 for the second straight month, reaching levels not seen since early 2021. More analysis of Cox Automotive Inc. used-car price data here

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The linked article is representative of how auto reporters gaslight their readers about the performance of GM CEO Mary Barra. To say that GM’s EV sales are up 40% is meaningless given the paltry number of electric vehicles the automaker sells. GM in the second quarter sold a mere 21,930 EVs, compared to the 443,956 EVs Tesla delivered. Unlike GM, Tesla sells its EVs at a profit. Some folks might recall that Barra not that long ago vowed she’d be selling more EVs than Tesla by the end of next year. Moreover, GM’s Mexican-made EV Blazer has been recalled and a second stop order has been issued because of a mechanical issue with the front suspension component. GM late last year recalled and issued a stop sale order on all its EV Blazers because of disastrous software issues. GM sold only 746 BrightDrop EV delivery vans in the first half. The company told investors in November 2022 that BrightDrop would generate $1 billion in annual sales in 2023 and that it already had 25,000 orders for the vehicles. What happened to those orders? GM in the second quarter edged Toyota on total sales, but that, too, is misleading. There is a waiting list on several of Toyota’s most popular hybrid vehicles and dealers reportedly are selling them considerably above MSRP. GM is already discounting its 2025 EV Blazers. Speaking of Mexican-made vehicles, a shoutout to the Ford amigos earning poverty wages who build the Bronco Sport, which was the No. 1 ranked small SUV in J.D. Powers initial quality rankings. The Bronco Sport is built is Mexico, where the “All In On America” company also proudly builds its electric Mustang and Maverick pickups and maintains the biggest engineering team in Latin America. Ford’s UAW workers need to up their game. More than 4,000 F-150 2024 pickups have been recalled because the windshield may not have been properly bonded to the vehicle, allowing it to detach during a crash. Ford CEO Jim Farley earlier this year boasted that delaying F-150 deliveries for months allowed the company to identify some dozen defects that would have required recalls. Auto writers might want to ask Barra and Farley about the status of the adapters they promised buyers of their EVs that would be available around now to connect to Tesla’s Superchargers, but I understand the media’s reluctance to avoid questions that might prompt someone to question the respective $28 million and $27 million compensations Barra and Farley received last year. https://lnkd.in/gtDVqeDk #gm #ford #tesla #electricvehicles

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David Zipper for Fast Company: Detroit killed the sedan. We may all live to regret it. Last week, General Motors announced that it would end production of the Chevrolet Malibu, which the company first introduced in 1964. Although not exactly a head turner (the Malibu was “so uncool, it was cool,” declared the New York Times), the sedan has become an American fixture, even an icon, appearing in classic films like Say Anything and Pulp Fiction. Over the past 60 years, GM produced some 10 million of them. With a price starting at a (relatively) affordable $25,100, Malibu sales exceeded 130,000 vehicles last year, a 13% annual increase and enough to rank as the #3 Chevy model, behind only the Silverado and the Equinox. Still, that wasn’t enough to keep the car off GM’s chopping block. The company says that the last Malibu will roll out of its Kansas City, KS, factory this November; the plant will then be retooled to produce the new Chevy Bolt, an electric crossover SUV. With the Malibu’s demise, GM will no longer sell any affordable sedans in the U.S. In that regard, it will have plenty of company. Ford stopped producing sedans for the U.S. market in 2018. And it was Sergio Marchionne, the former head of Stellantis, who triggered the headlong retreat in 2016 when he declared that Dodge and Chrysler would stop making sedans. (Tesla, meanwhile, offers two sedans: the Model 3 and Model S.) As recently as 2009, U.S. passenger cars (including sedans and a plunging number of station wagons) outsold light trucks (SUVs, pickups, and minivans), but today they’re less then 20% of new car purchases. The death of the Malibu is confirmation, if anyone still needs it, that the Big Three are done building sedans. That decision is bad news for road users, the environment, and budget-conscious consumers—and it may ultimately come around to bite Detroit. https://buff.ly/3WKR0me

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🎙 New series on the Auto Remarketing Podcast: "M&A + Auto Auctions." First up is Chris Elliott, VP of M&A at America's Group, who talks about the auction group's acquisition strategy, its recent purchases & and the buy-sell landscape in the overall auto auction market. Stay tuned for more!

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