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Welcome to The Weekly, a roundup of the top five auto industry headlines of the week.
How Mark Dodge sells new cars in all 50 states from one Lake Charles store
For years, Mark Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep, Ram in Lake Charles, La., sold about 1,200-1,300 new cars a year in its small-town market.
But last year, the shop sold 4,013 new cars, owner Mark Boniol told CDG News, with just 45% of those sales going to Louisiana buyers.
That’s because Boniol said the store has sold in all 50 states in each of the last three calendar years, a streak he still can’t quite believe.
“Alaska, Hawaii, we’re selling in them all,” Boniol said. “Sometimes I pinch myself about that.”
Napleton Palatine Subaru secures buy-in on MPIs, efficiency gains
As the service manager for Napleton Palatine Subaru in Illinois, Luke Goerlitz is committed to using video inspections and is gaining his team's buy-in as they notice the appeal of working more efficiently.
Driving the news: Goerlitz, who became the service manager at the Subaru store at the beginning of this year, joined Daily Dealer Live’s Fixed Ops Friday and told host Sam D’Arc about his approach to MPIs.
To start, he pointed out how the MPIs give the technician the ability to talk directly with the customer and tell them what’s going on with their vehicle.
“It stops any questions that might come in for the advisor. It’ll get their bay working way more efficiently,” Goerlitz pointed out.
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EV owners show weakest brand loyalty among new-car buyers, creating conquest opportunities for dealers
Automakers and dealers face a new challenge as the electric vehicle market evolves: retaining customers who are increasingly willing to switch brands when purchasing a battery electric vehicle (BEV).
First things first: Recent research from Escalent's 2026 Brand DeepDive report, part of its EVForward study, reveals that current EV owners are the least brand-loyal segment of new-vehicle buyers.
Just 46% of current EV owners say they are likely to purchase their next vehicle from the same brand, compared with 60% of EV Intenders, 65% of EV Open buyers and 68% of EV Resistant buyers.
Toyota RAV4 production cuts squeeze dealer inventories, threaten sales momentum
One of America’s best-selling vehicles (the Toyota RAV4) is facing significant supply challenges stemming from production decisions, potentially threatening the crossover’s market position.
The details: Toyota’s U.S. dealers have roughly four days’ supply of RAV4s on their lots, forcing some buyers to order the crossover months in advance while others turn to alternative vehicles, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Last fall, Toyota opted to continue producing 2025 RAV4 models well into the fourth quarter, delaying factory retooling for the all-new 2026 model.
A year later, the automaker’s North American RAV4 production has fallen 30% through September, according to consulting firm AutoForecast Solutions.
Dodge Charger SRT plans deserve a second look as Durango sales continue to gain momentum
A closer look at Stellantis’ Investor Day presentation has revealed new details about one of Dodge’s most anticipated upcoming models: an SRT variant of the Charger and its potential to help boost the brand’s sales.
The details: The closer examination, prompted by a Yahoo story, offers insight into how Dodge could position the high-performance model and the broader SRT lineup as part of Stellantis’ “FastLane 2030” plan.
A slide in the investor deck lists Stellantis’ American nameplates and identifies those with an “SRT variant planned,” including the two-door and four-door Charger.
The deck makes no mention of the “Hellcat” name, as Yahoo noted, though Dodge could be holding back the designation to build anticipation for the new SRT Charger.
The upcoming compact Dodge GLH is also flagged for an SRT variant, along with an unnamed model that has fueled speculation about the return of a Dodge supercar in the spirit of the Viper, potentially under the Copperhead name.
Hendrick Automotive Group sells Calif. dealership to Spreen Automotive Group
