Protective has agreed to purchase Portfolio, combining two of the nation’s leading F&I and reinsurance providers and adding to a string of major acquisitions that includes AUL, Revolos and U.S. Warranty. +
Lotlinx has launched LotGPT, a new AI chatbot designed to serve as a personal dealer advisor, backed by historic VIN-level and shopper data and billed as an industry first. +
A new survey finds the 15% of dealers who have integrated or embedded AI tools and processes at their stores are more likely to report improved revenue, profitability and efficiency. +
Presidio and NCM analysts say Q3 net pretax profit metrics varied wildly among domestic, import and luxury dealers in a report skewed by EV sales and echoes of the CDK Global outage. +
Wolters Kluwer’s Digital Transformation Index shows the adoption of digital workflows ticked down by 2.3% from the second quarter but improved by 4.3% year-over-year. +
Carleton’s Tim Yalich urges dealers and finance sources to face the “critical reality” of the complexity, challenges and profitability risk that underlies lease payment calculations. +
Kelley Blue Book reports the average transaction price for a U.S.-sold new vehicle exceeded $50,000 for the first time in September despite increased incentive spending. +
In a post-tax credit world, CarEdge’s Justin Fischer believes the same EVs that sold themselves through government incentives are being sold just as effectively by family, friends and coworkers. +
Martin D’Amato has been sentenced to seven years in state prison for stealing $1.3 million from the New Jersey dealership where he served as internet director. +
GoTo’s new Connect AI Receptionist was designed to automate dealership sales and service scheduling by handling routine questions, setting appointments and balancing service demand. +
