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Hey everyone,
We’ve just opened the latest CDG Dealer Outlook Survey (Q4 2025)—exclusively for dealer principals, managing partners, and group executives.
We want to hear what’s working at your store(s), what’s not, and what changes you’d like to see for the long haul.
Takes 2 minutes. And you’ll get results once the survey closes.
Survey must be completed by 11:59 p.m. EST on Thursday, 11/13.
*Your individual answers are fully confidential and will not be shared with anyone.
— CDG
Welcome to The Weekly, a roundup of the top five auto industry headlines of the week.
Data discipline drives new marketing direction at Szott Auto Group
At Szott Auto Group, every marketing dollar has to earn its place.
Two years ago, dealer principal Todd Szott realized his team was spending heavily across dozens of vendors with little clarity on what actually drove sales. So, he reset the group’s digital strategy around hard attribution and ROI discipline.
Using Clarivoy, Szott’s team mapped each customer’s journey from first click to final sale—then trimmed the fat.
They dropped underperformers, kept proven channels, and integrated new systems to connect CRM, DMS, and web data for a single view of shopper behavior.
Bottom line: The result is a cleaner, leaner, and more accountable marketing engine.
Stellantis confirms Ram will launch first-ever SUV in 2028
This week, Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa confirmed that Ram will add a Michigan-built SUV to its lineup in 2028, debuting alongside the upcoming Dakota midsize pickup. The vehicle will offer both internal-combustion and extended-range electric variants and will be assembled at the Warren Truck Assembly Plant.
Why it matters: The move will likely give Ram dealers a new high-volume product pillar beyond pickups—one designed to bring incremental showroom traffic, F&I opportunities, and market share growth.
But only time will tell if it actually materializes.
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Inside Van Horn’s AI-powered BDC playbook that’s rewriting dealership follow-up
Van Horn Automotive’s Sales BDC Manager Brittney Dean is turning AI into an amplifier for human connection, not a replacement for it. Her team’s response time is now under a minute, and reps are better trained, better prepared, and more proactive than ever.
Here’s how: AI handles instant inbound replies so humans can focus on outbound relationship-building.
A four-week onboarding program trains every rep on policy, process, phone, and AI collaboration.
And daily “Save-A-Deal” meetings, plus specialized segments (like credit-tier follow-up and post-sale outreach) keep accountability high and nothing slipping through the cracks.
"AI really gives us the ammo to follow up with the customer and be prepared for that conversation," said Dean.
Ford CEO Jim Farley joins growing list of Apple CarPlay critics
Ford CEO Jim Farley is the latest to push back against Apple CarPlay Ultra—a new version of the software that mirrors an entire iPhone interface and lets drivers control everything from A/C to driving modes on one screen.
While Aston Martin is the only automaker fully onboard, others are drawing a line.
Farley told Fortune that automakers risk giving Apple too much control: “Do you want the Apple brand to start the car? Limit the speed? Limit access?”
The takeaway: Dealers will need to go the extra mile in selling buyers on a car’s native in-vehicle infotainment value stack to offset consumer preference for Apple CarPlay and its expanded capabilities.
How one Subaru store turned AI appraisals into 30 extra car sales a month
At Subaru of Niagara, General Manager Devin Kaulback has turned AI appraisal automation into a full-fledged sales engine.
Here’s how it works: Drive AI connects directly to the CRM and DMS, scanning service and sales data to identify customers most likely ready to trade.
It then sends personalized “upgrade” offers via text or email showing real trade-in values and updated payments.
Kaulback calls it “a private sale every month without human lift.”
Big picture: Subaru of Niagara proves that idle dealership records can turn into real trade-ins and consistent monthly volume gains.
Missed yesterday’s episode of Daily Dealer Live?
Presented by:
Fixed Ops Friday with Tully Williams, Colin Speer, and Frank Knox
Featured guests:
Tully Williams, Parts and Service Director at The Niello Company
Colin Speer, Director of Sales at Sonic Tools USA
Frank Knox, Chief Operating Officer at AutoAcquire AI
Ally is trimming roughly 2% of total workforce in second round of layoffs this year
