Market Pulse

Calif. judge clears path for dealer association lawsuit over Sony Honda EV sales

Monday’s ruling comes about one week after two VW dealers, on behalf of their dealerships, filed a class-action lawsuit against Volkswagen and Scout for selling directly to consumers. (3 min. read)

Mercedes settles one union battle, leaves two pending

The UAW is protesting the outcome of a May 2024 vote. (2 min. read)

Toyota eyes $8.3B chipmaker acquisition as global semiconductor shortage looms

The potential deal follows a strategic semiconductor partnership formed in May between Denso and Rohm, focused on integrated circuits used in EVs. (3 min. read)

First Brands' asset sales expected to cover less than 2% of $12B debt

Untangling who gets paid first is proving messy, with lenders and counterparties filing competing claims over the same collateral. (4 min. read)

General Motors recalls 11,787 Silverados and Sierras due to rear fuel pump issue

CDG News alert (1 min. read)

Battery maker SK ON cuts 37% of Georgia staff amid stalled EV demand

CDG News alert (1 min. read)

New data pushes dealers toward outcome-based marketing

Dealers that rely too heavily on soft metrics risk misreading performance and overspending on campaigns that look busy but do not produce vehicles out the door. (3 min. read)

9 March 2026

BMW tops 2025 U.S. vehicle exports amid ongoing tariff and EV strategy shifts

The majority of BMW’s U.S. shipments were assembled at its Spartanburg, South Carolina, facility and exported through the Port of Charleston. (3 min. read)

9 March 2026

The Weekly

GM consolidates CPO sales, Fraud ring bust exposes $1.5M auto loan scheme, Lithia buys Toyota dealership

Plus, a look at other buy/sells from the week

7 March 2026

Carvana acquires sixth Stellantis dealership

CDG News alert (1 min. read)

U.S. car dealerships could face Strait of Hormuz disruption risks

CDG News alert (1 min. read)

Podcast Recaps

Stop chasing one-time sales: How top dealers are building repeat revenue machines

FeaturingPaul Nadjarian, Chief Product Officer at Carfax

Scout Motors announces 160K+ vehicle reservations days after lawsuit filing

The reservations being touted by Scout are also referenced in a March 3 lawsuit, filed in Virginia. (2 min. read)

Broadcast ads still critical to dealer ecosystem despite digital dominating

Broadcast can generate large-scale awareness, which remains difficult for targeted digital tactics to replicate, said Cox Media Group Executive Chairman Steve Pruett. (2 min. read)

Lithia buys Toyota dealership in metro-Nashville market

This makes four Lithia dealerships in the state, according to its website. (2 min. read)