Strategy & innovation newsletter | Edition 3 | 2025
Automakers Get Monthlong Exemption from Trump's 25 Percent Tariffs
A day after the Trump administration implemented 25 percent tariffs on goods imported from Canada and Mexico, the White House announced that automakers who comply with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) get a 30-day exemption, which is set to lift on April 2.
Car industry urges UK government to create new EV incentives
Fresh incentives to boost a flatlining electric car market are urgently needed, according to the UK automotive industry, whose leaders called on the government to act fast and “revisit the mandate” for zero emission vehicles (ZEV).
Germany’s auto sector faces structural shifts as sales decline
If you ask someone to name a German industry, they will say cars. Ask someone to name three car brands and there are good odds that Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW will be on that list. The country’s presence in the automotive sector is longstanding and iconic. Automotive manufacturing makes up 6% of Germany’s GDP, according to Capital Economics, and it directly employs 780,000 people, not including the millions of support jobs.
Insurance news
Car insurance premiums fall by 17 percent in last 12 months
Comprehensive car insurance premiums have fallen by 17% (£164) during the last 12 months, with UK motorists now paying £777 on average, according to the latest Confused.com Car Insurance Price Index in association with WTW (NASDAQ: WTW), a leading global advisory, broking and solutions company.
Car insurance loophole that could land your clients in hot water
Industry specialists have warned motorists about “fronting”, a form of car insurance fraud that may appear harmless but could result in fines and criminal records. Fronting occurs when a more experienced driver falsely claims to be the main user of a vehicle to obtain lower insurance premiums, often to benefit a younger driver. This practice, however, is illegal.
Hidden ‘double dip’ charges hit UK car insurance customers on monthly contracts
The UK’s largest car insurers have piled hidden costs on top of double-digit interest rates for customers paying in monthly instalments, according to people familiar with the practice. Admiral and Aviva are among the car insurers that have pre-screened customers who opt to pay their premiums monthly rather than annually, one analysis of the practice found, and have raised the prices they charge such clients as a result.
Digital marketing and retail news
Steering US Auto Dealers Toward a Profitable Future
Following a period of unprecedented profits fueled by supply shortages and high demand, US auto dealerships have, over the past two years, faced a starkly different reality. High interest rates, affordability challenges for consumers, a rebound in vehicle supply, and shifting consumer preferences are squeezing margins and forcing dealers to rethink their strategies.
Car rental firms Hertz, Avis zoom as tariffs seen hurting new-vehicle demand
March 27 (Reuters) - Shares of highly shorted Hertz (HTZ.O), opens new tab and Avis Budget Group (CAR.O), opens new tab surged on Thursday as U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to slap a 25% tariff on imported vehicles raised prospects of consumers opting for car rentals instead of buying expensive new cars.
Used car dealership fined after ignoring enforcement notice in order to keep trading illegally
A car dealership which ignored a council enforcement notice in order to keep trading illegally has been ordered to pay out more than £8,000. DSG Car Sales Ltd began trading without the proper planning permission before applying for retrospective consent in 2021.