🚨 Featured Story

Stellantis CEO Resignation and Its Impact on the Automotive Landscape

In a surprising turn of events, Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis—the parent company of brands like Jeep, Peugeot, and Citroën—has stepped down amid declining sales and strategic disagreements with the board. This leadership change introduces uncertainty for dealerships associated with Stellantis brands, as the company navigates challenges such as overcapacity, increased competition, and the transition to electric vehicles.

Key Points:

• Leadership Transition: Tavares’ resignation follows a significant drop in Stellantis’ market value and internal conflicts over strategic direction. An interim executive committee, led by Chairman John Elkann, will manage operations while the search for a new CEO is underway.

• Operational Challenges: The company faces overcapacity and excessive inventory in the U.S., sluggish global demand, and heightened competition from Chinese automakers. These issues have led to a 45% year-to-date drop in shares and a forecasted cash burn of up to €10 billion.

• Regulatory Pressures: Stellantis has criticized the UK’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate, which aims to limit petrol and diesel vehicle sales by 2035, arguing it harms their business model. The company is also adapting to electrification rules, leading to halted EV production and potential plant closures due to declining demand.

Implications for Dealerships:

• Inventory Management: Dealerships may experience delays in vehicle deliveries and should prepare for potential shifts in model availability.

• Customer Communication: Proactively inform customers about possible changes in vehicle offerings and delivery timelines to maintain trust and transparency.

• Strategic Planning: Stay informed about Stellantis’ restructuring plans to adapt sales and marketing strategies accordingly.

📰 Shifts in Canada’s Auto Industry

Quick Stat: 85% of car buyers now start their journey online—ensure your digital presence is optimized.

 ✨ Quick Tips for Dealership Success

🚀 Sales Hack: Leverage Local Loyalty

Promote Canadian-built cars to capitalize on customers’ pride in supporting the domestic economy. Add signage or social media posts highlighting “Made in Canada” models

📖 Bonus Resource: Check out 15 Examples of Brands with Great Local Marketing Campaigns.

📢 Marketing Hack: Build Tariff-Smart Campaigns

Use targeted messaging that emphasizes stable pricing. Include phrases like “No surprise fees—just upfront value!” in your ad campaigns to ease customer concerns about economic uncertainty.

📖 Pro Tip: Use these Free Marketing Campaign Templates to create quick, professional campaigns.

🔧 Tech Hack: Simplify Financing with AVA™ Credit

Use AVA™ Credit to pre-qualify customers instantly using soft pull credit check technology powered by Equifax. Share the benefits in your email campaigns or on your website’s lead forms to attract and convert more buyers.

📖 Learn more about AVA™ Credit here.

🎁 Free Resource Of The Month

A Dealers Guide To Combatting Automotive Fraud

Shady deals, nefarious players, cars gone off the lot. Nobody likes fraud, but it’s present in the automotive industry like never before! With that in mind, we put together a resource book on how to spot scammers, identify sneaky sales tricks, and how to spot fraud online. Get the free guide and we guarantee you’ll be well equipped to combat fraud ASAP!

🎤 Upcoming Events

2025 NADA Show

Jan 23-26 | Ernest N. Morial Convention Center | New Orleans

NADA Show is four full days of outstanding education, emerging trends and networking opportunities for all areas of your dealership.

2025 Automotive Finance Canada

Feb 11th | Metro Toronto Convention Centre | Toronto

Automotive Finance Canada brings together lenders, insurers, and technology providers to advance the sector. The focus will be on fraud, digital transformation, regulatory road blocks, and adapting to consumer online behaviors, the summit offers next generation insights and solutions. Attendees will share and debate trends that are poised to shape the industry’s future.

2025 Canadian International AutoShow

Feb 14 - 23 | Metro Toronto Convention Center | Toronto

With exclusive news, content, and prizing, AutoShow+ is not only your ultimate Show companion, but Canada’s total automotive experience right at your fingertips!

From the blog

Social Selling Secrets For Car Dealers: Winning Leads Before they Walk Through Your Door

Complimentary to the earlier piece, people are doing more research when it comes to buying their next car, which adds another layer of service for dealers to provide, in a competitive landscape. The key to winning leads now? Trust and reliability. 

This doesn’t mean spamming people's social feeds with ads and posts, rather building meaningful relationships online through high quality content aimed at providing information, preemptively answering frequently asked questions, and occasionally showcasing a bit of personality so they know the people behind the social posts.

Read more on social selling