Car Dealership Guy

[NEWS] Ford is expecting up to $8.5B in earnings in 2025—down from $10.2B last year: And that’s before factoring in potential tariffs. While the Trump administration continues considering a 25% tax on imports from Mexico and Canada— Ford CEO Jim Farley warns it could cost billions and trigger industry-wide layoffs. His concern? U.S. automakers would take the hit—while foreign competitors importing from Asia and Europe wouldn’t face the same penalties. Still—Ford isn’t just playing defense. According to Farley—the automaker is cutting costs, improving quality, and pushing to make its EV lineup profitable— Believing these moves will put Ford in a stronger position long-term. Read today’s top automotive stories, presented by Edmunds: https://lnkd.in/eniWSEzN (Data source: Ford / Bloomberg TV)

How would you fire back at this DM? 🙂

My lord… Ford: • Crushed Q4—profits and revenue beat expectations. • BUT… Bracing for $2B+ profit drop in 2025 due to higher costs and lower vehicle prices. • $5.1B EV loss in 2024, could hit $5.5B this year (!!!) Gonna be a bumpy ride.

Think about the best car-buying experience you've had. My bet? A person (or people) made a big impact, for better or worse. Rob Cavender, COO of Cavender Auto Group, shares how they’re building EQ into every part of the organization. ➤ Stream the latest episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast now on your favorite platform—brought to you by Ikon Technologies, Richtech Robotics and CDG Recruiting, a Car Dealership Guy Company

Interesting anecdote: six dealers, six messages in the past two days—all about AI BDCs and dealership solutions. Dealers and vendors, pay attention...

General Motors is slashing nearly half of Cruise’s robotaxi workforce: Just a few years ago—GM was betting big on self-driving taxis— And spent a whopping $10 billion trying to achieve a driver-less reality. But last December—that vision came to an abrupt end when GM announced it was pulling all of its funding for Cruise. Now—over 1,000 employees, including the CEO—are getting the axe. In place of Cruise—GM is folding its tech into ‘Super Cruise’—a hands-free driving system. Bottom line: For GM—this is about cutting losses and focusing on what works. And while the dream of self-driving taxis is on ice—assisted driving is still in the fast lane. Read today’s top automotive stories, presented by Edmunds: https://lnkd.in/dTTkUefd (Data source: General Motors / TechCrunch)

Nissan is walking away from merger talks with Honda: At the center of the breakdown? A power struggle. The original plan was to create a joint holding company—forming the world’s third-largest car group. But then Honda pushed to make Nissan its subsidiary and Nissan flat-out rejected the idea. So–Honda gave Nissan until January to lay out a turnaround plan. But Nissan—despite slashing 9,000 jobs—resisted deeper cuts. With no agreement on valuation or leadership, both sides called it quits. So, what’s next? They could still collaborate on EVs, but any dreams of a global auto giant are off the table… for now. Read today’s top automotive stories, presented by Edmunds: https://lnkd.in/dcbz3A29 (Data source: Nikkei Asia / Kyodo News)

[NEWS] Stellantis is continuing to shake up its leadership: One of the biggest moves? Jeep’s North American and global operations are now under one roof, with Bob Broderdorf stepping in as CEO. Meanwhile—Americas COO Antonio Filosa is taking on quality control— An area where Stellantis brands have been struggling. And Chief Marketing Officer Olivier Francois will lead a new marketing office overseeing advertising, global events, and sponsorships. Bottom line: After years of tension with dealers, quality issues, and pricing missteps, Stellantis is looking for a fresh start, but will it be enough? Read today’s top automotive stories, presented by Edmunds: https://lnkd.in/ePyk4Vhx (Data source: Stellantis)

Will AI replace salespeople in dealerships? Some say yes—but it’s not that simple. At Cavender Auto Group, AI handles communication, while the sales team focuses on connection. COO Rob Cavender explains how AI and their salespeople work together. ➤ Stream the latest episode of the Car Dealership Guy Podcast now on your favorite platform—brought to you by Ikon Technologies, Richtech Robotics and CDG Recruiting, a Car Dealership Guy Company

The EV market’s grip on California is slipping: New data shows Tesla registrations in the Golden State fell for the fifth straight quarter—dropping nearly 8% in Q4 and 11.6% for the year. That puts Tesla at around 203,000 registrations for 2024, with its market share shrinking to 11.6% of all new cars sold in the state (though it still outpaces other EV makers by a mile). But it’s not just Tesla feeling the slide. Zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) registrations as a whole declined, making up 22% of the market—down from 23.7% in Q3. Hybrids, on the other hand, are picking up steam, gaining 2.4% in Q4. And the biggest winner? Toyota. The brand solidified its lead in California, registering nearly 290,000 vehicles in 2024—a 4.4% increase from last year. Big picture—California has long been a bellwether of EV adoption, but these numbers suggest the transition won’t be as linear as some expected. Read today’s top automotive stories, presented by Edmunds: https://lnkd.in/egR6AVxR (Data source: California New Car Dealers Association / Experian)