Lenders likely to withstand threat of aging vehicles, analysts say

The average vehicle age in the U.S. continues to climb, yet lenders have little to worry about, analysts said. The average age of light vehicles in operation has risen to 11.8 years, thanks to better technology and overall vehicle quality improvements, Mark Seng, director of IHS Markit‘s global automotive aftermarket practice, said in a press […]

• Bianca Chan
• July 12, 2019
• Sales & Marketing

New-car sales slide YOY in June, pace to slow through yearend

New-vehicle sales clocked in at 1,513,574 for June, a 2.6% decline year over year. While the strength of the economy has withstood industry headwinds, including higher interest rates and rising vehicle costs, Edmunds analyst Jeremy Acevedo predicted that new-car sales will “settle into a slower sales pace as we head into the rest of 2019.” […]

• Bianca Chan
• July 3, 2019
• Sales & Marketing

Off-Lease Vehicles Boost Used-Car Prices

Stricter leasing terms are propping up the used-vehicle market, according to Edmunds’ first-quarter Used Vehicle Report. Average used-vehicle prices hit a record-breaking high of $20,247, compared with $19,700 in the same prior-year period. Edmunds’ research attributes the increase partially to “the return [to market] of a record volume of vehicles leased in 2016,” the report […]

• Joey Pizzolato
• June 21, 2019
• Sales & Marketing

Sparking Connections: How Tech Alliances Are Firing Up Lenders

Slowing vehicle sales and the potential for a market downturn have lit a spark among lenders, technology companies, and OEMs, igniting partnerships aimed at gaining marketshare and creating solutions attainable only by way of collaboration. In January, Ford Motor Co. and Volkswagen AG established an alliance that will likely spur the OEMs’ captives to collaborate […]

• Nicole Casperson and Joey Pizzolato
• May 22, 2019
• Features, Innovation & Technology, Risk Management

How Daimler-BMW’s $1.1B Mobility Venture May Affect Finance Operations

Despite Daimler AG and BMW Group’s $1.1 billion investment in a mobility and ride-hailing joint venture, the companies’ captives will continue to operate as competitors. “The core business with vehicles will remain unaffected, and the competition in the premium market will be maintained,” Daimler Financial Services spokesman James Ryan told Auto Finance News. “This also […]

• Nicole Casperson
• March 1, 2019
• Innovation & Technology, Risk Management, Update

Leasing’s New Look: Financiers Give Lease Options a Makeover

From the February issue: With new-car purchases lagging and used-values increasing, captives and OEMs are reimagining lease products to keep their customer bases growing. Roughly a decade ago, 1.4 million new vehicles were leased — a 16% penetration rate. Fast forward to 2019, and lease volume is expected to reach 4.1 million, with penetration as […]

• Nicole Casperson
• February 13, 2019
• Features, Innovation & Technology, Risk Management, Sales & Marketing

BB&T-SunTrust Merger to Establish $23B Auto Finance Operation

BB&T Bank’s acquisition of SunTrust Banks is likely to combine auto lending operations in a move that will improve efficiency but take time to configure, analysts told Auto Finance News. A SunTrust-BB&T merger would create a $22.8 billion auto finance operation, propelling the business into the top 20 among auto financiers, according to Big Wheels […]

• Nicole Casperson
• February 7, 2019
• Innovation & Technology, Risk Management

5 Trends to Watch: 2019 Promises to be an Interesting Year

From the January issue: The pace of U.S. growth is expected to slow, according to most economists, who also think interest rates will rise. There is uncertainty about tariffs and, beyond the economic factors, the race between different lenders, dealers, and manufacturers to overhaul products and services is picking up. But perhaps the biggest challenge […]

• Bianca Chan
• January 17, 2019
• Capital Markets, Features, Risk Management, Sales & Marketing