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France 24
09-07-2025
- Automotive
- France 24
Volkswagen US deliveries fall as Trump tariffs bite
Total vehicle deliveries into North America fell almost seven percent in the first half of the year, the German group said, even as overall deliveries worldwide notched a rise of 1.3 percent. In the three months to June -- a period dominated by the fallout of Trump announcing 25-percent tariffs on cars in late March and further sweeping duties in April -- deliveries to North America plunged 16.2 percent. In China, a key market where European carmakers are struggling against the electric models of local competitors such as BYD, first-half deliveries fell just over two percent. Marco Schubert, board member for sales at the firm, said the declines were "expected" and that "gains in South America and Europe more than offset" the impact. Trump has announced a wide range of duties in a bid to boost US manufacturing, but promptly suspended the implementation of many of them before inviting countries to seek trade deals after markets plunged worldwide. Though April's "Liberation Day" tariffs have been paused until August 1, a 25-percent tariff on imported cars that are not largely made within North America remains in force. Carmakers have rushed to find ways to minimise the impact of the levies, with high-end automaker Mercedes-Benz on Monday saying it had delayed some US deliveries in the expectation of tariffs coming back down. Stuttgart-based Porsche reported Tuesday a 10-percent rise in its first-half North American sales, saying it had plentiful stocks in the region and that increased import tariffs had offered a degree of "protection" for its cars. But overall first-half sales fell at both firms after being dragged down by China, with Porsche's deliveries in the country down 28 percent and Mercedes-Benz's car sales falling 14 percent. © 2025 AFP
Wall Street Journal
09-07-2025
- Automotive
- Wall Street Journal
Volkswagen Vehicle Deliveries Rise Despite North America Weakness
Volkswagen VOW3 0.24%increase; green up pointing triangle vehicle deliveries rose in the second quarter after gains in China and South America offset a steep decline in North America. European automakers have been hit by President Trump's 25% duty on imported cars and parts while intense competition in China has seen rivals cut prices to win customers.
Forbes
07-07-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
Applying Integrated Business Planning To Navigate Policy Shifts
Tom Strohl is the President of Oliver Wight America's, a global business consulting firm specializing in Integrated Business Planning. While tariffs continue to dominate headlines, they represent a fraction of the policy changes impacting businesses. In the first 100 days of the current administration, over 140 executive actions have introduced regulatory changes across energy, environmental and labor sectors. Businesses are being challenged to respond with greater agility and foresight. The challenge is not necessarily in the policy changes themselves but in how businesses respond. A siloed approach, where compliance, tax planning and workforce management operate independently, is no longer sustainable. In today's environment, when tax departments make decisions without visibility into supply chain constraints, or operations leaders reconfigure production without accounting for workforce shortages, businesses could expose themselves to unnecessary risk and missed opportunity. This environment of rapid change calls for integrated business planning (IBP), a strategic framework that connects portfolio management, demand planning and supply operations to provide a single, consistent source of truth. Agile scenario planning can help guide companies as they make decisions now and for the future. Policy Changes And Industry Resets Deregulation can force sectors to pivot. The automotive industry is one sector being disrupted right now. Under the Biden administration, electric vehicle (EV) targets and emissions regulations accelerated the shift toward electric vehicles, with a federal goal of 50% of new vehicles being battery powered by 2030. Now, the Trump administration has reversed this regulatory architecture, rolling back emissions standards and ending various incentives. For automotive companies, this demands a comprehensive strategic restructuring. Supply chains and manufacturing plants designed for battery production, capital investments in EV infrastructure like charging stations and marketing strategies targeting incentive-driven consumers may need to be reconsidered. This reset can cascade across OEMs, suppliers, logistics partners and retail channels. Across industries—from energy to finance to pharmaceuticals—deregulation can introduce both flexibility and uncertainty. The common thread is the need for planning that aligns long-term investment and operational execution with a shifting policy foundation. Tax Incentives And Operational Costs Trump has proposed reducing the corporate tax rate from 21% to 15%, specifically for companies that manufacture domestically in the U.S. This could create a complex matrix of incentives and trade-offs for companies considering reshoring. To qualify, companies may need to reconfigure supply chains, invest in U.S.-based facilities and ensure access to skilled labor—all of which carry investments in time, labor and infrastructure. Additionally, navigating regulatory compliance across multiple states adds further complexity. These factors could turn what appears to be a straightforward tax advantage into a multifaceted strategic decision. The expiration of key provisions in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) at the end of 2025 could also reshape both business and individual tax landscapes. If these expire without replacement or reform, business taxes could effectively increase, impacting cash flow, investment strategies and long-term planning. Companies must factor this uncertainty into their short-term planning cycles. Tax strategy should be integrated with operational planning to ensure that tax-advantaged decisions don't create unintended consequences in production, distribution or workforce strategy. Talent Gaps As companies respond to incentives for domestic manufacturing, they're increasingly faced with constraints presented by labor and skills shortages. The manufacturing industry faces specific challenges with approximately 3.8 million new workers needed between 2024 and 2033, with half of these positions remaining unfilled due to skills gaps. On top of that, labor costs in the U.S. remain higher than in many offshore manufacturing hubs. For companies that have long capitalized on low-cost labor abroad, reshoring upsends the financial logic that once justified offshoring. Domestic operations not only face persistent hiring challenges, but must absorb higher wages, elevated living costs and stricter labor regulations. All of these factors could erode the financial advantages of tax incentives, unless balanced by more strategic, long-term workforce planning. To navigate this, I recommend companies adopt a more integrated approach: one that embeds workforce planning into core business strategy. This includes investing in upskilling, optimizing recruitment pipelines and aligning talent strategies with operational needs. The Challenges Of Integrated Business Planning In an environment defined by uncertainty, integrated business planning can help provide the structure and foresight businesses need to adapt. When companies unify critical functions across portfolio, demand and supply, they can gain a comprehensive view of the organization. However, companies may face several common challenges when initiating integrated business planning. A primary struggle for many organizations is deploying their long-term business strategy and achieving sustainable growth. This often manifests as a failure to operationalize corporate strategy or to effectively cascade it throughout the organization to connect with business unit plans. Additionally, companies may encounter difficulties in transforming their inventory management into a strategic advantage. Beyond specific processes, a broader challenge is achieving tangible results and truly transforming organizational performance, rather than just implementing better processes. There can also be difficulties in ensuring that people, business processes and technology are fully aligned and integrated across the organization, and in fostering a sustainable culture of continuous improvement and innovation where people are empowered to drive change. The Path Forward With IBP Leadership teams should hold regular monthly and quarterly planning cycles to conduct 'what-if' scenario planning analysis, anticipate regulatory or tax changes and reallocate resources proactively. Additionally, companies must make sure their data is trustworthy—historical trends, current metrics, financial modeling and team insights all play a role in anticipating change. To support strategic thinking, appoint a dedicated scenario management leader. From there, clearly defining roles and responsibilities ensures that key stakeholders can respond effectively. Alignment across the team strengthens organizational readiness for whatever the future may bring. Crucially, leaders should aim to surface blind spots that siloed decision making often misses. Whether identifying looming talent shortfalls that could derail production, or revealing how tax-driven plant relocations could disrupt supply chain efficiency, leaders can use IBP to enable smarter, more connected decisions. As policy volatility becomes the new normal, companies that adopt a holistic, integrated approach to planning could have a decisive advantage. I think the next generation of business leaders will be defined not by their size, but by their ability to adapt policy shifts into strategic advantage. The information provided here is not investment, tax, or financial advice. You should consult with a licensed professional for advice concerning your specific situation. Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Mercedes-Benz Q2 sales fall 9% impacted by tariffs
(Reuters) -German carmaker Mercedes-Benz said on Monday its second-quarter unit sales of cars and vans fell 9%, citing the impact of tariffs. Deliveries fell to 547,100 cars and vans in the April-June period, while sales of battery electric vehicles dropped even more sharply by 18%, to 41,900 vehicles, the company said in a statement. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Motor 1
07-07-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
‘You're Gonna Cost Yourselves Thousands:' Expert Reveals the Real Reason You Can't Custom Order a Toyota. Is There a Workaround?
A car expert is warning shoppers that if you're trying to custom-order a Toyota (or Honda), you're wasting your time, and possibly thousands of dollars. Vehicle purchase consultant Tomi Mikula (@tomislavmikula) claims the issue isn't demand, but the allocation system that gives dealers little to no control over builds. 'If you've even considered buying a Toyota or a Honda, you'll probably run into crazy wait times, like a two-and-a-half-year waitlist on a 4Runner TRD Pro, or a year waitlist on a Sienna, or a six-to-eight-month wait list on a Grand Highlander,' he said in the clip that's been viewed more than 220,000 times. According to Mikula, Toyota and Honda don't offer true custom ordering, unlike some competitors. While manufacturers like BMW and Ford allow buyers to spec vehicles from the ground up, with dealerships submitting those configurations directly to the factory, Toyota and Honda primarily rely on an allocation system , which pre-assigns vehicles to dealers based on historical sales data and regional demand. Rather than submitting individual customer builds to the factory, Toyota dealers receive batches of pre-configured vehicles every two weeks. Buyers can 'build' a car on the Toyota website, but that doesn't mean the factory will make it. As Mikula puts it: While some dealers may request changes to their allocation, Mikula claims those requests are often denied, especially for popular trims or color combinations. Toyota has publicly acknowledged the use of this allocation model in past dealership communications. Waitlists Can Be Misleading The result, Mikula says, is that many Toyota and Honda buyers are unknowingly placed in a queue that may never deliver what they want. For example, he said Toyota's 4Runner TRD Pro, Sienna, and Grand Highlander are all in high demand, with online estimates of wait times ranging from six months to two years depending on the region and configuration. But allocation-based matching means that if your preferred build doesn't show up in the next batch, or a salesperson overlooks your request, you're likely to be skipped . Worse, Mikula says, sales staff may prioritize buyers who walk in ready to sign, over customers already on a deposit list. Dealers Have Little Incentive to Prioritize You According to Mikula, one reason the system leads to long wait times is that there's no centralized way to match every customer's preferences to incoming cars. It's up to dealership staff to manually sort deposit lists against incoming allocation lists. Errors, forgetfulness, or simple laziness can result in missed customers. 'I can tell you the amount of times that I've heard horror stories from dealerships that just lost their name on a list completely,' he said. BMW and Others Offer True Customization By contrast, automakers like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Ford offer build-to-order systems that give dealerships 'slots' with the factory. Customers can spec a car exactly how they want—paint color, interior trim, packages, even wheel design—and the factory builds that configuration. Brands like Ford and Ram encourage factory ordering via Build & Price tools, and customers often receive a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) within weeks. That VIN ties to the exact vehicle being built, and buyers can track it through production. Mikula's advice: 'You do not want to put a deposit on a car unless you can actually get a VIN and a window sticker.' How to Protect Yourself as a Buyer To avoid frustration, Mikula recommends a few tips for Toyota and Honda shoppers: Don't assume the website's 'Build' tool leads to a factory order. It's often just a wishlist. Ask for a VIN and window sticker before placing a deposit. Clarify your flexibility. If you're OK with alternative colors or missing one minor feature, let the dealer know—don't get skipped. Negotiate pricing up front. Dealers have more leverage once you've waited six months and are emotionally invested in the vehicle. Shop around. Some dealers manage allocation lists better than others. Mikula says his average Sienna client waits 30–60 days, while the national average is 8+ months. We've reached out to Mikula for comment. We'll be sure to update this article if we hear back. Now Trending 'What in the World Should I Do?': Woman Takes Her Chevrolet Into the Body Shop to Fix a Dent. Then She Gets It Back 'We Never Did That at My Shop:' AutoZone Worker Says it 'Hurts His Soul' Whenever a Customer Requires Him to Do This. Why? Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
