FLEXY Awards: Celebrating Exceptional Individuals
Submission deadline for FLEXY Award nominations end Friday, February 3rd!
NAFA welcomes individuals and teams to submit an entry for the 2017 Fleet Excellence Awards. Three finalists for each award will be chosen for both public fleets and corporate fleets. In addition, one award will be presented in the area of fleet leadership. Click here to learn more about the awards and the submission process.
Save the Date: International Fleet Meeting
If you oversee an international fleet, Geneva, Switzerland will be the place to be on March 8, 2017!
Held on the second press day of the Geneva International Motor Show, the International Fleet Meeting features speakers Markus A. Falk, CFE, VP and Head of Global Procurement Organization SAP SE; and Jürgen Freitag, Head of Global Commodity Fleet, Siemans AG, and Harald van Meel, Head of International Key Account Management FS-AG. They will be followed by a panel discussion.
This is an outstanding opportunity to network with global fleet professionals!
Trends Shaping New and Used Vehicle Segments Explored in Manheim’s 2017 Used Car Market Report
2016 brought good news for almost every segment of the auto industry.
Highlights included accelerating used vehicle sales, a record high 17.5 million new vehicle sales, and a growing number of services and support products that are dramatically improving the efficiency of the automotive marketplace – from retail to remarketing.
These trends – and the outlook for 2017 – are explored in depth in the 22nd edition of the Manheim Used Car Market Report, presented by Cox Automotive. Each year, the highly respected compilation provides a compelling snapshot of data and trends shaping the used car business.
"2016 was most likely a bullish year for you regardless of what sector of the automotive ecosystem you're part of," said Tom Webb, chief economist for Cox Automotive. "Looking forward, although there is looming uncertainty about the economic climate in 2017, the prospects are still good that the seven-year recovery in the automotive industry will continue."
Ford to Power Older Cars With Wi-Fi Through SmartLink
Ford Motor Co. will offer customers with older model vehicles the connectivity of a new vehicle that includes 4G Wi-Fi through a small device that plugs into the car.
The Dearborn automaker said Friday that the small Ford SmartLink device plugs into the OBD II port below the steering wheel and will give owners of 2010-2016 Ford, Lincoln and some Mercury vehicles without built-in modems the ability to connect on the road.
Millions of customers could possibly take advantage of the device, Ford said.
Trump’s First Week Spells Trouble for Auto Industry
In a single week, President Trump's assertion of his more protectionist "America First" trade policy already holds massive implications for the auto industry.
A week that began with a cordial meeting with the CEOs of Detroit's Big 3 automakers ended in a diplomatic dispute with Mexico, a key trading partner and home to many auto plants that supply cars to the U.S.
His administration floated the idea of a tariff or border tax to pay for a wall between the U.S. and Mexico. He made it clear that he has his sights set on a renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement.
