Nissan unveils 7-part rebound plan, NY dealer says stores embracing AI win, EPA knocks stop/start tech

Hey everyone. If you missed it yesterday, a new episode of the CDG Podcast went live with Jack Hollis, the guy who helped make Toyota #1 in America—then walked away.

And honestly? It’s one of our best convos yet.

Let me know what you think: YouTube, Spotify, and Apple.

— CDG

Welcome to the Daily Dealer a concise rundown of the most important automotive industry headlines that matter to car dealers, automakers, and industry insiders.

The average price for the 25 best-selling vehicles rose just $2 from April to May:

But dig into the model-level data, and a few clear outliers emerge…

Here are the models with the biggest price increases and decreases:

• Ford Bronco Sport: +1.58%

• Chevrolet Blazer EV: +1.51%

• Ford Mustang Mach-E: +1.34%

• Ford Maverick: -2.08%

• Audi Q5: -1.81%

• Ram 2500: -1.07%

(Data source: CarEdge)

1. Inside Nissan’s seven-part plan to rewire its entire operation

Nissan just unveiled a sweeping 7-part reset plan—dubbed Re:Nissan—aimed at cutting $3.2B in costs, consolidating plants, and speeding up product launches.

We’re talking 20K jobs gone, future models on hold, and 70% fewer parts.

And manufacturing’s getting a revamp too—plants closed, battery projects canceled.

For dealers: Nissan’s reboot could mean fewer moving targets, a tighter launch cadence, and a brand that’s more aligned with what actually sells.

(Go deeper: 3 min. read)

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DLRdmv – “The Dealer’s DMV”

2. Paragon Honda's Brian Benstock: “Dealers who use AI will replace those who don’t”

At a recent Ontario Dealers Association meeting, Paragon Honda’s Brian Benstock played five AI-handled calls that crushed the average BDC rep—live, no edits, no fluff.

His message: dealers dragging their feet on AI are handing business to those who aren’t.

At Paragon, bots don’t just set appointments—they scan databases, contact recall customers, and never sleep. The gap’s already here. You're either scaling or slipping.

Bottom line: AI is already converting leads and filling service bays. And in Benstock’s experience, dealers who wait risk losing business they’ll never get a shot at.

(Go deeper: 4 min. read)

3. EPA chief calls vehicle start/stop tech a “climate participation trophy"

Turns out even the EPA isn’t sold on start/stop tech anymore.

Administrator Lee Zeldin just put it in the spotlight, calling it a “climate participation trophy” and hinting at scrapping the fuel economy credits behind its rise.

Automakers could respond by quietly killing it off, especially since drivers never really loved it to begin with.

The reality: Start/stop might’ve made sense in 2012—but in 2025, it might not be saving enough fuel or face to stick around.

(Go deeper: 2 min. read)

Thanks for reading everyone.

— CDG

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