Wilson says dealers should stop thinking of the vehicle sale as the end of the transaction. With loans approaching 84 months, it’s the beginning of a potentially very long customer relationship.

The lowest-hanging fruit is connecting sales and service immediately. Introduce buyers to the service department at delivery and make the entire dealership ecosystem part of the experience.

Don’t settle for email opens and marketing engagement as retention metrics. Wilson recommends watching RO data and repeat service visits, with the first service visit being particularly important—lose that oil change or tire rotation elsewhere, and the customer can quickly develop a new habit.

Winning retention requires removing friction. Wilson points toward an “Amazon experience” where booking service is fast and easy, while CarRx is investing in using its mobile app to support the customer throughout the vehicle lifecycle with offers, campaigns and post-sale products.

Wilson’s bigger point: retention can fundamentally change dealership economics by lowering customer acquisition costs—but sales, fixed ops and service all have to participate. “Every department has to be involved in this…for it to really be special.”

Dealers got an early look at the crossover during a private Las Vegas meeting with Ford leadership. It was described as boxy, wide and reminiscent of the first-generation Escape.

At around $25,000, it would become Ford’s least-expensive vehicle, undercutting both the $29,000 Maverick and upcoming $30,000 Fathom EV pickup.

The crossover is expected to arrive in both gasoline and hybrid versions in 2029. People familiar with Ford’s plans say hybrid production is slated for the Hermosillo plant in Mexico alongside the Bronco Sport and Maverick.

Ford also showed dealers a four-door Mustang prototype, reportedly promising a sub-$40,000 price and sub-four-second 0–60 time. Dealers previously heard the name “Mach-4.”

Penske expects some serious growth in returns: Toyota lease maturities are projected to rise from 4,200 this year to 5,600 next year, while BMW returns climb from 9,500 to 10,700.

Industrywide, Cox Automotive expects 3 million lease maturities in 2026 and 4.3 million in 2027. With residual values less favorable for customers than during the shortage, more vehicles could actually make it back into dealer inventory.

Penske’s Q2 lease penetration was 32%, well above the roughly 22% industry average. But its premium brands historically run in the mid-40% range, suggesting there’s still room for leasing to grow.

Penske COO Rich Shearing sees opportunity on both sides of the transaction: “We still have upside with the lease penetration.”

Nissan’s system tracks joints, body angles and task sequences while employees build Frontiers and Altimas, comparing their movements against an ideal process Nissan calls the “golden cycle.”

When AI flags an issue, managers can coach the employee, move them to a different task or redesign the workstation. The goal is safer, more efficient work, not simply telling someone they’re doing it wrong.

Nissan says the technology has contributed to roughly $34 million in safety and health-related savings at Canton. It could also help preserve manufacturing knowledge as experienced workers retire.

Canton is currently Nissan’s only plant using the system, but the automaker plans to expand it to Smyrna, Tennessee, and potentially its powertrain operations.

Nissan manufacturing executive Victor Taylor was pretty clear about the intent: “We’re not talking about job elimination.”

As I prepared this week’s edition, I was reminded of the proverb “May you live in interesting times” (a saying often having less than positive implications).

Contrary to what you might frequently be reading in the press, we at Automotive Ventures believe that humans are much better off than they were even just 20 years ago, by almost any objective measure.

We are a team of technology optimists, and believe the future is bright, although changing at a faster pace than ever in the history of humankind. We are all living through an era of dramatic progress in technology in general, and AI specifically, the side effect of which is causing a lot of uncertainty, leading to tension and anxiety across many segments of the population.

We believe that where there’s rapid change, as we’re experiencing now, there will be opportunities to invest in entrepreneurs uniquely positioned to build businesses that benefit from it.

We believe that the entrepreneur is the lifeblood of capitalism and a country’s economic engine. No company would exist without the initial spark and effort of an entrepreneur. Small businesses and their founders are absolutely vital to the global economy, and the best way to simultaneously benefit the economy and generate wealth is to identify and financially back truly talented early-stage innovators.

As you digest the content of this week’s newsletter, let’s appreciate that we’re all living through the most exhilarating period in history, enjoy the rapid pace at which society is making progress, and prepare for an even more amazing future ahead of us.

I am thankful that we’re all on this journey together.

Steve Greenfield,  General Partner, Automotive Ventures

Former Audi sales chief Marco Schubert is expected to take over VW’s U.S. operations, replacing Kjell Gruner, as the automaker rethinks its approach to a market where it holds just 4% share.

VW brand chief Thomas Schaefer sees opportunity in pickups and large SUVs—high-margin segments where VW currently has little presence. Pickups alone represented nearly 20% of U.S. vehicle sales last year.

VW wants its first new U.S.-focused pickup on sale before the end of the decade, with plans to build it stateside. 

VW hasn't decided whether to go alone or find a partner. Ford is an obvious possibility: the companies already share EV technology, while VW’s Amarok pickup shares its platform with the Ford Ranger.

Edmunds says average EV lease payments bottomed at $538 in July 2025, but some deals could be found for under $100/month. In June 2026, avg payments climbed to $707, versus $607 for non-EVs.

J.D. Power found 96% of EV owners would consider another EV, but affordability and available models are increasingly determining whether they actually do.

In California, hybrids captured 22.1% of new-car sales in the first half of 2026, versus 15.9% for EVs. Used EVs are another option, although prices—especially below $20,000—are beginning to rise.

Edmunds analyst Ivan Drury: “There is defection from that EV market… it is a mental hurdle to say, “Man, I used to be paying $200 a month. Now you guys want $500?”

The survey of 3,012 buyers and 252 dealers found shoppers now spend one to three months researching, with 44% doing more homework before contacting a store.

Buying a vehicle from a traditional dealership still leads with 90% of buyers preferring them. 66% would consider buying through a dealership website and 25% are more open to buying fully online.

Price is beating loyalty. 31% prioritize value over brand, and 59% would travel farther for a better deal.

EV enthusiasm remains uneven: 60% of dealers are excited, while only a third of buyers say they are ready to consider an EV. Meanwhile 47% of buyers say they may never be ready to buy an EV

He has already collaborated with 15 dealerships across New Jersey, New York and Connecticut, offering stores free social media exposure while building relationships with owners and employees who have become mentors.

Peter’s love for cars began with his late father, Brian McKay, who took him to the New York International Auto Show and dealerships before passing away when Peter was 7.

His next goals include learning fixed operations, landing a dealership internship and eventually studying automotive marketing and management at Northwood University.

Peter said, “My end goal is to own my own dealership or, God willing, dealerships. You get that opportunity to make a big impact in your community.”

One survey found 74% of executives trust AI advice more than colleagues or friends, while 44% would favor its reasoning over their own.

Warning signs include sending lightly reviewed AI-written work, producing polished but shallow “workslop,” and mandating AI before establishing clear governance.

The most damaging habit may be using AI to overrule employees. When objections are repeatedly settled by a chatbot, teams eventually stop speaking up.

The article’s central warning: AI should support executive judgment, not replace scrutiny, accountability or healthy disagreement.

CDG News spoke with 40 industry sources, many of whom questioned Carvana’s website standards, service capacity, inventory practices, market reach, and allocation levels.

Dealers pointed to Carvana’s ability to use its own website platform, national pricing, no document fees, and a sales model that actively promotes itself as an alternative to traditional dealerships.

Service is another flashpoint. Some nearby dealers say they are receiving more warranty and recall work from Carvana customers, potentially placing additional pressure on their technicians and service departments.

Carvana’s Casa Grande CDJR store reportedly sold 998 units in June, becoming Stellantis’ top-selling dealership in the country and fueling questions about allocation and out-of-market sales.

Stellantis says all dealers are treated “fairly, consistently, and in accordance” with established agreements, but dealers worry the model could become an indirect path toward direct-to-consumer retail.

The 2027 Rumble Bee starts at $62,790 with 395 hp, while the 777-hp SRT tops the lineup at $97,790. Two 470-hp versions fill the gap.

Ram shortened the wheelbase by 13 inches and paired a quad cab with a short bed, creating a lower, wider truck designed for pavement performance rather than off-road duty.

Dealers say customer interest is already building. The Rumble Bee could bring performance buyers into Ram showrooms who would not normally consider a pickup.

Optional supercharger kits will push output beyond 600 hp on the base truck and above 900 hp on the SRT, adding another $10,995 before installation.

Edmunds’ Ivan Drury summed up the target buyer: “If someone is even contemplating price ... you’re the wrong customer from the get-go.”

Telo says extensive testing raised the MT1’s tow rating from 6,600 to 8,000 pounds, nearly twice the truck’s estimated 4,400-pound weight.

The dual-motor version produces 500 hp, uses a 106-kWh battery, and is expected to deliver around 350 miles of range.

A single-motor MT1 is expected to start at $41,520 with 300 hp and 260 miles of range. The dual-motor version should begin near $50,000.

Telo has connections to Tesla’s earliest days: Forrest North helped engineer the original Roadster’s batteries, while Tesla co-founder Marc Tarpenning serves on Telo’s board.

Production is targeted to begin before the end of 2026, although the company still faces the familiar challenge of turning an ambitious startup truck into a real production vehicle.

All eight top dealer groups posted year-over-year declines in new-vehicle gross profit per unit. Lithia fell $288 to $2,728, while Penske dropped $527 but still led the group at $4,374.

Lithia remained the volume heavyweight, generating $9.8 billion in revenue across 467 stores and retailing more than 104,000 new and 106,000 used vehicles.

Used-vehicle performance held up better. Asbury improved used gross by $281 per unit, while Lithia gained $107.

Dealers are leaning more heavily on street purchases as used demand stays strong, but fewer new sales mean fewer trade-ins and less dependable used inventory.

Stephens analyst Jeff Lick said, “Q2 was a lot better than Q1, and the economy is holding up.”

Lithia reported record consolidated Q2 revenue of $9.8 billion, up 2.2%, although same-store revenue declined 1.6% to $9.2 billion.

New-vehicle gross profit per unit fell 11.1% to $2,718, while used-vehicle gross improved 6.3% to $2,019.

Lithia is preparing to deploy Pinewood.AI’s dealership management system across its U.S. stores and is combining some leadership roles across sales and fixed operations.

Remote F&I is operating in roughly a dozen stores, offering potential labor savings while giving customers and employees more flexibility.

The new option appears in the three-dot menu on every post.

LinkedIn says it is targeting repetitive, low-value content—not AI use itself.

A recent study found LinkedIn accounted for most flagged AI-written long-form posts across several major platforms.

The company says it catches hundreds of thousands of automated comments daily and has blocked billions of automation attempts.

Other platforms are likely to follow with similar tools, giving users more control while creating new moderation challenges.

First-quarter net profit jumped 76% to ¥1.48 trillion, while revenue rose 10% to ¥13.53 trillion.

Toyota now expects a ¥510 billion operating-profit hit from war-related disruptions, down from its previous ¥670 billion estimate.

The company raised its full-year revenue forecast to ¥54 trillion and net profit guidance to ¥3.25 trillion, while maintaining its 11.18 million-unit sales target.

Toyota plans to repurchase up to ¥1 trillion in shares, equal to as much as 4.2% of outstanding stock, over the next year.

The automaker is also expanding U.S. production, including a $3.6 billion investment to bring Tacoma assembly back to San Antonio by 2030. Accounting chief Takanori Azuma said Toyota is establishing alternative routes to shorten vehicle delivery times.

GM announced in 2023 that it would phase out CarPlay and Android Auto, beginning with future EVs, in favor of its native infotainment system.

The 2027 Cadillac Lyriq still shows both services as standard, indicating the phaseout may not apply as broadly or quickly as originally planned.

The shift matters because CarPlay and Android Auto offer customers familiar interfaces, strong voice controls and access to apps they already use.

GM also has strategic reasons to favor its own platform, including subscriptions and driver data, but those opportunities only matter if customers still choose the vehicle.

A Cadillac representative said the brand is “continuing to evolve its infotainment strategy across the EV portfolio, based on customer feedback.”

The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index rose to 55.2 in July from 49.5 in June, but remained 11% below its year-ago level.

Half of consumers spontaneously mentioned high prices as hurting their finances, down slightly from June but still well above last year.

Lower gasoline prices provided some relief, although Middle East shipping constraints could threaten further improvements in confidence.

AI is becoming a more visible economic concern, with at least 10% of consumers mentioning it during each of the past three months. Negative comments about job losses and electricity costs outweighed optimism about productivity.

Survey director Joanne Hsu said, “Despite this month’s improvement in sentiment, consumers do not feel like they are thriving in the current economy.”

Developed by Woven by Toyota, Akio Toyoda AI is a web-based training tool designed to reflect the chairman’s voice, reasoning patterns, priorities, and management philosophy.

Toyota says the avatar is not meant to replace Toyoda or make decisions. Instead, it helps employees learn how he approaches problems, difficult conversations, talent development, and organizational leadership.

Around 100 regular users are already testing the system, while developers continue refining it with direct input from the real Akio Toyoda.

Stefan Thomke, a professor at the Harvard Business School said, "Digital twins have been used in engineering and production systems for years. Extending the concept to people isn’t surprising but also raises interesting issues. How will people use it? How do they interact with the model?”

The AI still has limitations. During the Automotive News interview, it misstated basic facts about Toyota’s U.S. production and sales, requiring human spokespeople to correct the record.

Leasing made up about 30% of new-vehicle deals before the pandemic, fell to 17%, and recovered to just 23% in the first half of 2026.

Automakers have reduced subsidized lease offers, while higher interest rates have made remaining deals more expensive.

Average lease payments are about $650 versus $800 to finance, but many returning customers are seeing increases of $100 to $200 per month.

Fewer affordable leases are pushing shoppers into longer terms, with 23% of second-quarter purchases using 84-month loans.

Dealers are also losing repeat customers and off-lease inventory. GM dealer David Ferraez said, “The customer still has a desire to lease. The big challenge is getting the customer to accept the much higher payment.”

Rivian produced 12,613 vehicles and delivered 12,194, while revenue rose 27% year over year to $1.66 billion.

Consolidated gross profit reached $179 million, improving by $385 million. Automotive losses narrowed sharply, though the R2 ramp added about $100 million in costs.

Rivian began external R2 deliveries June 9 and hosted a record 57,000 demo drives. Its Georgia plant could eventually add 300,000 units of annual capacity.

The company still posted an $837 million net loss and used $849 million in free cash flow, but ended the quarter with $5.3 billion in cash and investments.

CEO RJ Scaringe said, “I believe R2 will be a game changer for our customers and a driver of Rivian’s long-term growth and profitability.”

The first Upstate Chevy Dealers Racers 4 Autism Charity Golf Outing raised $18,612. The funding is already supporting inclusive employment.

The organization can retain Naome, a team member who has worked there for more than a year, while also hiring Emma, a high school student with autism seeking her first meaningful job experience.

What began as a 2022 awareness race grew into a major Pro Stock event, a nonprofit foundation, multiple fundraisers and direct local hiring.

For dealers, it is a strong reminder that community partnerships can do more than put a logo on a banner—they can create jobs, open doors and demonstrate measurable impact.

Jordan Modiano summed it up: “Individuals with autism and other special needs don’t just deserve opportunities—they thrive when they’re given them.”