New car prices stuck at high levels, Trump team eyes self-driving car rules, Maserati shakes up leadership

Hey everyone. The first episode of Industry Spotlight with Sam D’Arc is now live (!)

In this episode, he speaks with Denton Gupton, used car director at Jim Ellis Volvo Cars Mall of Georgia, and the CEO of Auto Hauler Exchange, Royce Neubauer. Together — they share how top dealers are tackling vehicle transportation logisitics to drive profitability.

You can stream the full episode now on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple.

— CDG

Auto loan delinquencies are at their highest levels since the Great Recession:

The % of auto loans and leases becoming 90+ days past due at the end of Q3 was 2.9% — roughly 23% higher than in 2019.

More than ever, negative equity is crushing many consumers — especially those in the subprime cohort.

Will be interesting to see how this story unfolds…

(Data source: New York Fed / Equifax)

1. New car inventory skyrockets but prices hold stable in Oct.

New vehicle inventory has jumped significantly over the past year, but prices remain steady, keeping consumer demand in check, according to Cars.com.

• The average marketplace listing price for new cars has stayed around $49,000 for over a year, despite a 26.4% surge in supply.

• Sub-$30,000 vehicles are gaining traction, but they still represent a small slice of the market.

• Meanwhile, used cars are seeing less fluctuation, with both supply and demand dropping slightly.

• The EV market, however, is where the biggest shifts are happening, as used EVs dominate search demand due to falling prices.

(Go deeper: 3 min. read)

2. Trump team eyes overhaul of self-driving car rules — report

The future of self-driving cars in the U.S. could take a sharp turn under President-elect Donald Trump.

His transition team is prioritizing federal rules for autonomous vehicles — according to a Bloomberg report — aiming to simplify the patchwork of regulations that, many argue, has been holding back the industry.

What it means: While this could provide a much-needed boost for legacy automakers and tech startups, Tesla’s robotaxi ambitions may see the greatest lift.

Still, balancing the pace of innovation with public safety concerns will be a critical challenge in shaping the industry’s path forward … (Go deeper: 4 min. read)

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3. Maserati overhauls North American leadership

Maserati is revamping its North American leadership to chart a new course during a challenging period of recent sales declines and financial hurdles.

Driving the news: Andrea Soriani, with a deep background in luxury automotive marketing, takes the reins as general manager, while Nicole Longhini, a seasoned expert in automotive and racing, joins as director of marketing.

With Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares highlighting the importance of marketing in Maserati’s future success, the new leadership team has an opportunity to redefine the brand’s presence in its largest market … (Go deeper: 3 min. read)

• Consumer sentiment hits multiyear high as gas prices, interest rates decline.

• As GM announces more layoffs, auto expert sees possible shift from EV production.

• Tesla adds 3 months of free Supercharging and Full Self-Driving to its end-of-year deals.

• 'Morale is horrible': Stellantis factory layoffs this fall near 4,000.

• GM’s Cruise pays $500,000 criminal fine following false report.

Thanks for reading everyone.

— CDG