Dealers Do Good Friday
It’s no secret that dealers are the backbone of their communities. AIADA is recognizing some of the good work dealers are doing through our #DealersDoGood campaign. Take a look at a few recent dealership highlights below. If you know of a dealer doing good, let us know here, or tag us on Facebook or Twitter with the #DealersDoGood hashtag.
Northtown Automotive in Buffalo, New York, has donated over 4,000 clothing items and $15,000 to the Buffalo City Mission over the holiday season. Now, they are pledging an additional $1,000 as part of #DealersDoGood and encouraging their social media followers to join them. To donate, go here, or check out the Twitter post here.
The Romano Auto Dealerships in Syracuse, New York, held their Holiday Hope Project, where they donated $2,500 to 20 local organizations – resulting in a total of $50,000 donated and double the number of charities supported in previous years. The CNY BearTeam, which delivers stuffed bears to Golisano Children’s Hospital in Rochester, New York, was one cause that received a Romano Holiday Hope donation. Here’s a picture of the CNY BearTeam and Samantha Foster, Romano Auto Dealerships’ Internet Sales and Marketing Manager. Read more about all of the charities supported during the Holiday Hope Project here.
Eddie Tourelle's Northpark Nissan-Hyundai/Genesis in Covington, Louisiana, made another recent $15,000 contribution to the Northshore Food Bank. The donation adds to the support Northpark began just over a year ago when COVID-19 took a deep toll on individuals who were already struggling in the community. Here's a picture from the check presentation.
The Mauer Auto Group in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, has prioritized community outreach over the past 10 years, supporting everything from Toys for Tots and Operation Warm to veterans and local food pantries. March is Minnesota Food Share Month, and Mauer Auto Group has worked in partnership with Oxendale’s Market and Neighbors, Inc. to deliver 25,000 pounds of groceries to local residents in need. Watch their video about the program here, and make sure to check out the group’s other charitable work on its YouTube page.
Nissan Idles Output at U.S., Mexico Plants Amid Supply Chain Disruptions
Nissan Motor Co. is curtailing production at North American assembly plants as a result of the microchip shortage roiling the auto industry, reports Automotive News. In Smyrna, Tenn., production of the Murano crossover will be suspended through Monday. Meanwhile, weekend overtime to build the Rogue crossover, Maxima sedan and Leaf electric hatchback has been canceled. Nissan will idle the Altima sedan line at the Canton, Miss., factory through Monday and cancel weekend overtime on the NV commercial van line. A Nissan spokesman said output of two pickups – the Titan and Frontier – will not be affected. In Aguascalientes, Mexico, output of the Versa subcompact and Kicks compact crossovers will be halted through Tuesday. "We continue to work closely with our supplier partners to assess the impact of supply chain issues and minimize disruption for vehicle deliveries to our dealers and customers," Nissan spokesman Brian Brockman said late Thursday. Read more here (Source: Automotive News).
Toyota Says It Reported Thai Bribery Probe to U.S. SEC and DoJ
Toyota Motor Corp said on Thursday it had reported possible violations of anti-bribery laws involving a subsidiary in Thailand to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ). According to Reuters, Toyota said it disclosed the possible violations to the agencies in April 2020, adding that it was cooperating with their investigations. “The investigations could result in the imposition of civil or criminal penalties, fines or other sanctions, or litigation by the DOJ or the SEC,” the Japanese car maker said in a regulatory filing. The company could not predict the scope, duration, or outcome of the investigations at this time, Toyota said. Read more here (Source: Reuters).
Ford Cutting Shifts, Partially Building F-150 Pickups and Edge SUVs Due to Chip Shortage
Ford Motor on Thursday said the global shortage of semiconductor chips and winter storms impacting the availability of other parts in the U.S. are causing it to cancel shifts at two plants and build F-150 pickups and Edge SUVs without certain parts, reports CNBC. The automaker plans to complete building the F-150 and Edge models in “a number of weeks” when the parts, including some electronic components with semiconductors, are available. The number of vehicles impacted is expected to be “in the thousands,” according to a Ford spokeswoman. She declined to be more specific due to the volatility of the chip shortage. The production cancellations include three shifts through Friday at a plant in Kentucky that produces Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair crossovers. Ford also confirmed downtime earlier this month as well as a day next week at a plant in Germany that produces the Ford Fiesta car, which is no longer sold in the U.S. Read more here (Source: CNBC).
Audi Rides Record Fourth Quarter to 2020 Profitability
Audi managed to make money in 2020 despite the difficulties presented by the COVID outbreak, reports The Detroit Bureau. According to the brand’s financial report issued on March 18, the Audi Group turned an operating profit of 2.5 billion Euros ($3.2 billion). That is down from 4.5 billion Euros ($5.3 billion) in 2019. “Audi has resolutely faced up to the challenges of the last year and done everything necessary to emerge stronger from the crisis,” said Markus Duesmann, CEO of Audi AG. “The global consequences of the corona pandemic had a decisive influence on our business year. Following a collapse in demand for cars in all regions of the world, stability returned to the markets later in the year – first in China, then in Europe and the USA too.” Duesmann added that in the fourth quarter of 2020 Audi was able to end the year with a record number of deliveries, making it the most successful quarter in the company history. Read more here (Source: The Detroit Bureau).
Around the Web
Japan is Getting a Rad Toyota RAV4 Off-Road Rescue Vehicle Concept [Motor1.com]
Lordstown Hype Train Slows Down After Prototype Catches on Fire [Electrek]
First Drive Review: 2020 Porsche Macan GTS Excites LIke the Hot Hatch It Is [MotorAuthority]
