Weekly roundup: Biden visits UAW picket line, Ford halts $3.5B Plant, AutoNation Appoints New COO

Earlier this week: President Biden supported the United Auto Workers strike in Detroit by jumping on the picket line. AutoNation ignited a bidding frenzy with a bold $544 million offer for U.K.’s Pendragon, intensifying competition with top U.S. dealership groups. Meanwhile, Ford has pressed the brakes on its ambitious $3.5 billion EV battery plant in Michigan due to a mix of local disputes and concerns over Chinese technology. AutoNation also announced the appointment of the former Gulf States Toyota President, Jeff Parent, as its new COO, and more headlines to stay on top of this week in automotive industry news.

1. President Biden makes historical appearance at United Auto Workers strike

President Biden visited a United Auto Workers picket line in Detroit on Tuesday, joining union members as the strike nears two full weeks. During the historical visit, Biden encouraged union members to “stick with it” and told attendees, “you deserve the significant raise you need.” Standing outside a General Motors-owned distribution center, the President was joined by United Auto Workers chief Shawn Fain, who thanked the White House for “coming to stand up with us in our generation-defining moment.” Read More

2. September U.S. auto sales poised to rise, UAW strike creates uncertainty for October outlook

According to a joint analysis released on September 28 by J.D. Power and GlobalData, strong demand is expected to lead to new car sales growth in the U.S. for the sixth month in September. However, the United Auto Workers (UAW) union strike has overshadowed the industry’s future. U.S. new vehicle sales, including retail and non-retail transactions, are expected to reach 1,309,900 units, a 13.8% jump from a year earlier. Read More

3. AutoNation starts bidding war for U.K.’s Pendragon

AutoNation is now looking to purchase the U.K.-based Pendragon automotive group, offering the company $544 million on Tuesday. The move has kicked off a bidding war between the top U.S. dealership groups as the U.K.’s second-largest automotive retailer expands its presence in North America. AutoNation’s unprompted proposal comes days after Penske Automotive Group and Pendragon’s largest shareholder Hedin Mobility Group upped their joint buyout offer to 32p per share. The company refused their original $486 million bid last week. The moves have caused the British retailer’s stock price to rapidly appreciate in recent weeks. Read More

4. Ford pauses construction of $3.5 billion EV battery plant in Michigan

Detroit automaker Ford halted construction of a $3.5 billion EV battery plant in Marshall, Michigan, on September 25 amidst months of disputes with locals, Republicans in Congress over its intended use of Chinese technology, and a strike by the auto industry, now in its second week. The automaker said, “We are pausing work and limiting spending on construction on the Marshall project until we are confident about our ability to operate the plant competitively.” Ford would not specify what precisely led to the decision but added that there were various factors. Read More

5. AutoNation appoints former Gulf States Toyota Pres. Jeff Parent to COO

AutoNation has appointed former president and general manager of Gulf States Toyota, Jeff Parent, to serve as the dealership group’s new chief operating officer. Parent will replace outgoing COO Steve Kwak, who will exit the company at the end of the month. The incoming operations chief most recently served as president and general manager of Gulf States Toyota, one of the Japanese brand’s largest non-franchised retailers. Parent has also served as a regional vice president for Volkswagen of America. Read more

6. Solving subprime credit with a lease-here-pay-here model — Paul Sansone Jr. | Dealer Controlled Leasing

On this episode of Driving Solutions, host Jim Fitzpatrick is joined by Paul Sansone Jr., owner of Sansone Jr.’s Auto Group and founder of Dealer Controller Leasing. Sansone has spent years in the dealership finance and insurance sector, driving success for customers and retailers alike with innovative solutions. Now, he joins the show to discuss Dealer Controlled Leasing, a new F&I platform that gives dealers more control over the lending process and helps them drive profit on every transaction, regardless of the buyer’s prime or subprime credit ratings. (Sponsored content) Watch now

7. How to ensure your dealership operations meet today’s demand – Chris Conroy | CEO of Holman

With a legacy that dates back decades, Holman, one of the largest privately owned dealership groups in the U.S., has consistently set the bar high in retail automotive. Today, we’re joined by Chris Conroy, the CEO of Holman, to discuss the state of their operations on this episode of Inside Automotive. Holman has come a long way since it was founded as a single Ford dealership in New Jersey in 1924. Today, Holman employs more than 6,500 people worldwide and is a pioneer in the automotive services industry. Watch now

8. Navigating inventory shortages amidst the United Auto Workers strike — Tom Gage | Lotlinx

On this episode of Driving Solutions, hosts Jim Fitzpatrick and Shyann Malone are joined by Tom Gage, chief strategy officer at Lotlinx. For years, Gage has helped dealers develop effective marketing strategies through data and a deep understanding of the American car market. Now, he joins the show to discuss how the United Auto Workers strike could impact sales and inventory and what retailers can do to prepare for the coming weeks. (Sponsored content) Watch now

9. How Alex Casebeer and Capitol Auto Group are embracing innovation in the digital era

With the digital future already here, we’re seeing many dealerships of all sizes embrace the need for transformation, mainly to meet their customers’ expectations and the pace of the market. Today, we’re catching up with Alex Casebeer, the General Manager and Partner of Capitol Auto Group. On this episode of Inside Automotive, Casebeer provides us with an inside look at how his operations are going on the West Coast. Watch now

10. The power of personalization: addressing digital retail gaps — Greta Crowley | Cox Automotive

On this episode of Driving Solutions, host Jim Fitzpatrick is joined by Greta Crowley, vice president of retail and marketing at Cox Automotive. Crowley is a digital strategist and automotive marketing expert who has spent her career driving success for companies through the careful application of technology, data and planning. Having seen the rise of digital retail in the car industry firsthand, she knows how difficult it can be for dealers to integrate e-commerce solutions into their businesses. Now, she joins the show to discuss the actions retailers should take to prepare for a technologically advanced future. (Sponsored content) Watch now