Contract talks between Detroit automakers Ford, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler and the UAW kick off this week with the official handshake. The current four-year contracts expire at 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 14. All negotiations are challenging, but this round will be particularly difficult. Here’s why: Union wish list: The goal of the UAW, representing … Continued
This morning at a press conference in New York, Ford and Volkswagen confirmed plans to further expand their global alliance, working together now on both electric vehicle development and the advancement of autonomous, self-driving technology. As part of the agreement, Volkswagen is committing both resource and investment to Argo AI, Ford’s partner in autonomous vehicle … Continued
Volkswagen’s decision to pull the plug on the Beetle ends a remarkable chapter in automotive history. The Beetle began life as a People’s Car as part of Hitler’s Third Reich, was rescued by British army officers after the war, becoming a crucial element in the rebuilding of the European economy. However, it was America, and … Continued
A replay of the Q2 Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index Call hosted by Cox Automotive Chief Economist Jonathan Smoke and Zo Rahim, manager of economics and industry insights for Cox Automotive, is available below. During the call, Jonathan and Zo presented Cox Automotive’s Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index, the automotive industry’s only used vehicle index that … Continued
Wholesale used vehicle prices (on a mix-, mileage-, and seasonally adjusted basis) increased 0.61% month-over-month in June. This brought the Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index to 140.5, a 4.1% increase from a year ago.After seeing steady and slightly lower than normal depreciation in weekly Manheim Market Report (MMR) prices in May, prices were firm or … Continued
We closed the books on the first half of 2019 today, with June auto sales being reported by everyone except Ford Motor Company. Considering posted results, our team is now estimating that the Blue Oval finished June very close to the Cox Automotive forecast of 218,000, down roughly 5% from June 2018. The first half … Continued
At the 2019 Mid-Year review held on June 26, the Cox Automotive industry insights team presented their view of the first half of the year. Watch the replay below to learn from Cox Automotive Chief Economist Jonathan Smoke, Charlie Chesbrough, senior economist, and Michelle Krebs, senior industry analyst, how the automotive industry has fared for … Continued
The June 2019 Cox Automotive Industry Update Report shares Cox Automotive’s multifaceted insight into the automotive marketplace to provide an overview of economic indicators, supply, demand, credit and other vital topics and trends affecting the industry. ECONOMIC INDICATORS Job creation in May was much weaker than expected as job creation declined to 75,000 when analysts … Continued
What metrics should dealers use to guide their decision-making at auction? On this episode of the vAuto Podcast, Patrick Janes, business development director for Stockwave, joins host Lance Helgeson to discuss three important metrics dealers should use when they go to auctions to make sure they’re bringing home the most profitable cars. Patrick Janes is … Continued
Derived from a quarterly survey that Cox Automotive issues to a representative sample of franchise and independent auto dealers, the Cox Automotive Dealer Sentiment Index measures dealer perceptions of current retail auto sales and sales expectations for the next three months as “strong,” “average” or “weak”. The survey also asks dealers to rate new-car sales … Continued
