Trending Auto Retail News
Outlook 2026: AI Becomes the Dealership’s Operating System
2026 won’t be won by dealerships that “try AI.” It will be won by dealerships that re-platform how the store runs, from lead-to-sale to inventory-to-listing, desking-to-F&I, and service retention, so that execution becomes consistent, measurable, and scalable. In...
The Peril of Preemption – A Gamble for Auto Finance
President Trump’s recent Executive Order (EO) on “Ensuring a national policy framework for artificial intelligence,” should have auto finance industry worried. Nominally, the EO appears very pro-business. The EO’s stated objective is “to sustain and enhance the United...
Efficiency, Digital Tools, and AI Drive Car Buyer Satisfaction to Record Highs, Cox Automotive Study Finds
Despite persistent affordability concerns and external pressures like tariffs, overall satisfaction with the car buying process has reached an all-time high, driven by increased efficiency, greater use of digital tools, and the early adoption of artificial...
The Hidden Readiness Risks Inside Many Dealerships
Most dealerships look stable until they are tested. A leadership change, a key executive departure, a family decision, or a manufacturer shift can expose gaps that stayed hidden during steady performance. Heading into 2026, more dealer principals are treating...
Vendor 20 Group Officially Launches to Help Foster Automotive Collaboration
After nearly two years growth behind the scenes, the Vendor 20 Group (V20) is making its official industry debut. Founded by industry veterans Brent Williams, Dave Spannhake, and David Kain, V20 is a first-of-its-kind peer forum designed specifically for automotive...
Six Berlin City Dealerships Sold to Automotive Entrepreneur Artem Boguslavskiy
Pinnacle Mergers & Acquisitions Advises on the Sale of Berlin City Dealerships in New Hampshire
myKaarma Accelerates AI-Enabled Service Lane Solutions with Warburg Pincus Investment
Long Beach, CA – January 14, 2026 – myKaarma, a leading provider of end-to-end service lane solutions for automotive dealerships, today announced a strategic investment from Warburg Pincus, the pioneer of global growth investing. The investment will accelerate...
Start with What’s Broke: The Question Every Fixed Ops Leader Should Be Asking
If you want to change anything in your store – culture, CSI, retention, you name it – start with two words: “What’s broke?” I’ve studied leaders across sports and business who’ve made lasting change, and they all start there. “What’s broke?” isn’t negative; it’s...
Impel Expands U.S. Presence with New Office in Burlington, Vermont
Automotive AI leader strengthens North American operations and joins Vermont’s growing technology hub to support rapidly accelerating company growth
Dealer Pay and CrossCheck Forge Strategic Alliance to Streamline Automotive Payments
Dealer Pay and CrossCheck, Inc. have announced a strategic partnership that integrates their respective strengths in point-of-sale (POS) technology and payment risk management. The collaboration aims to provide dealerships with a unified ecosystem for handling...
Pierce Automotive Group Completes Acquisition of Lexus Carlsbad and Lexus Escondido
SAN DIEGO, CA [January 14, 2026] – Pierce Automotive Group announced today that it has completed the acquisition of Lexus Carlsbad and Lexus Escondido. The dealerships will continue operating under their current names, with no immediate changes to leadership or...
What’s Ahead for Automotive Dealers in 2026
As 2026 opens, what can U.S. auto dealers expect? Overall, trends point to a year of steady sales rather than significant expansion, driven by actual shopper demand rather than federal incentives and policy uncertainty. Let’s look at the key trends and how dealers can...
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