DEALERS
Operation We Care
By setting aside $50 for every new or used vehicle sold between October 10 and December 10, Spitzer Autoworld donated $45,200 to local charities.
"Operation We Care" set and exceeded a goal of $40K split between Toys for Tots of Clearfield County, Gateway Humane Society, Clearfield County SPCA, and the DuBois Salvation Army.
Customers were invited to select where they wanted their donation to go before driving home in their new, or new-to-them, car.
While the tri-county dealer group focused on the campaign, stores within the group were equally engaged in supporting the community. For instance, Spitzer Subaru of DuBois partnered with the Elk County Humane Society and the Bob Perks Cancer Assistance Fund.
Telling it like it is - Read enough of these stories, and the numbers, names, and specific charities start to blur. We will still share them as often as we find them because each dollar means a life with need received a measure of justice because of this community. It makes us feel like doing karate.
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AUTOMOTIVE
Acura Exits China
✌️🚪 Honda and GAC's joint venture ends Acura production in China.
🛠️👨🔧 GAC will continue to service Acura customers in China and produce other Honda brands.
📉🤕 Honda reports the Acura brand's sales were down 45% in 2021 at 6,554 units.
✌️🛫 Acura follows Jeep in exiting China and a JV with GAC following underwhelming sales performance in the country.
Telling it like it is - If you went to a party and 45% of people at the party go to another room, you’d go home too.
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AUTOMOTIVE
International Topic: EV Subsidies
The US and EU are talking about EVs again. We told them to just leave it alone and take a walk, but they ignored us. Let's take a look.
A commission on the EU side has opened talks with the US about EV subsidies and other aspects of the Inflation Reduction Act and its impact on the European trade bloc.
And that's about it. The news is that the EU called the US, and so far, the US has left them on *Read*.
Subsidy talk in other markets is similarly shifting.
- Indonesia plans subsidies for each EV (up to $5000) or hybrid purchased. A separate subsidy exists for people converting to electric motorbikes.
- After more than a decade, China ended EV subsidies that accounted for 3%-6% of EV costs on December 31. As a result, some automakers use discounts to maintain market share in the county, while others raise prices on select models to absorb the cost.
- Canada is happy to be in North America but looking for ways to stay competitive as the Inflation Reduction Act makes waves in the green energy sector Canada has focused on for years.
So yeah, everybody is trying to catch an electric train in motion, and the US just took its foot off the brake. It's a lousy metaphor, but we stand by it.
Telling it like it is - “Tax Credits apply to vehicles made within a set of rules, and subsidies apply to any friends who ask nicely. (Not you, China!)” -A White House spokesperson, probably.
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TOGETHER WITH RECOVR
Don’t Leave Dallas Empty Handed!
With the FTC extending its "junk fee" public comment period to February, you can also expect to find the topic at NADA later this month.
Visit Booth 6609 to learn more about RecovR's wireless GPS solution that makes dealers millions, adds verifiable value to the customer's experience, and checks all the FTC's boxes (today AND tomorrow).
- NO upfront costs
- Simplify inventory tracking
- Recovers 93% of stolen customer vehicles
- Completely wireless
- FTC-Proof
Don't leave Dallas empty-handed; meet RecovR at Booth 6609 to secure more revenue in 2023. You can also get a sneak preview of RecovR's new key management solution that is set to change the industry yet again!!
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AUTOMOTIVE
Sold Out, Recalled, and Better Than Ever
The Polestar 2 BST is selling in the US as fast as they can build them. The company announced another 11 units for the market, and they, in addition to the previous 47, have sold out.
Boss fight. In 2021, the BST model started as a flex concept by the brand, but based on popularity, it entered production. With 476 hp, 502 lbs of torque, and a series of performance modifications, the model looks like the final boss in a racing video game.
Idea: Hire a stunt driver to come to show off your most common car. Then sit back and wait for the offers!
BMW recalls 14K iX, i4, and i7 vehicles for a battery software issue. The issue, which affects vehicles produced between October 2021 and October 2022, causes the battery to misdiagnose itself and reset, even while driving.
What Luck! Luckily, no incidents, crashes, or injuries have been reported. Also, luckily, the solution is software based and will be provided by dealerships free of charge.
Idea: Create space in Fixed Ops for software-only fixes. They are coming. Why use a whole service bay on them?
Rolls-Royce had record sales in 2022. With an average price of $534K, the company sold 8% more than in 2021 as demand among the wealthy remains high.
One piece at a time. Not only was 2022 the first time the company broke 6,000 units sold, at 6,021 cars, but because of the customization program known as "Bespoke," customers could choose each part of the car (and bump their total price up).
Idea: Price at least one car in your inventory around $500K and see if any wealthy folks come knocking.
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CULTURE
Any Excuse To Talk About Gladiator
In 2000, Russell Crowe changed the world as Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, turned arena combat champion in the movie, "Gladiator."
Now, Ridley Scott has announced a sequel to the Roman epic and Paul Mescal as the lead actor. According to early reports, Mescal will play a grown-up Lucius (the only child with a speaking part in the original movie).
Scott will finish his Napoleon movie starring another Gladiator star, Joaquin Phoenix, before beginning on "Gladiator 2," which will hopefully receive a unique name before release.
Asking the Expert - Ok, maybe he didn't change the world, but I was 13 years old, and at least my life was never the same. -Chris
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