California DMV is working to digitize car titles to fight fraud
Digitization will help ease with the location and transfer of titles and help protect against fraud.
Group 1 finalizes acquisition of Inchcape; adds 54 U.K. dealerships to its portfolio
Group 1 Automotive Inc. has finalized its acquisition of global automotive group Inchcape, which has 54 U.K. dealerships.
The acquisition was announced April 15; Group 1 paid $439 million in cash. It is expected the acquisition will add $2.7 billion in annual revenue for Group 1 Automotive.
The addition of the Inchcape stores complements Group 1’s geographic footprint in the east and southeast of England and allows it to expand into new markets in the central and northwest regions of England and Wales. The dealerships will retail Audi, BMW/Mini, JLR, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz/Smart, Porsche, Toyota and Volkswagen vehicles.
“This transformative acquisition effectively doubles our U.K. footprint, giving us access to new markets throughout England with a collection of outstanding brands,” said Group 1 CEO Daryl Kenningham. “We are delighted to welcome our new team members as we collaborate to deliver an excellent customer experience.”
Inchcape will continue to operate its global automotive retail distribution business.
Disney Cruise Line reveals Marvel takeover plus itineraries for Disney Destiny
Disney Cruise Line let loose more details for new ship Disney Destiny coming to Florida in 2025 including a spate of Marvel-themed takeovers on the ship while also revealing an overview of its itineraries.
The 144,000-gross-ton, 4,000-passenger vessel will begin sailing with its maiden voyage in November 2025 from Port Everglades followed by an inaugural season of four- and five-night voyages to the Bahamas and western Caribbean.
Full itineraries have yet to be released, but all sailings will visit one or both of Disney’s private Bahamas islands, Castaway Cay or the newly opened Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point. The general public can book sailings on Sept. 12 although the cruise line’s Castaway Club members can book as early as Sept. 6.
Disney Cruise Line’s new ship Disney Destiny will call Port Everglades home
The ship is the third in the Wish class for the line, which debuted with Disney Wish in 2022 and will be joined by this year’s Disney Treasure, both of which sail out of Port Canaveral. Disney Destiny will sail alongside Disney Dream out of the South Florida port, which became DCL’s second Florida home for year-round sailing when it took over Cruise Terminal 4 in late 2023.
EVs are holding strong, but U.S. elections may rock the boat, report finds
The midyear Market Outlook Report from Dave Cantin Group and Kaiser Associates found that EV sales are starting to drive steady growth. Meanwhile, a volatile political landscape and Supreme Court decisions complicate auto industry plans.
Dealerships warned about phishing scams tied to global cyber event
Two cybersecurity consulting firms are warning dealerships about scams relating to CrowdStrike’s catastrophic software update on July 19.