Charlottesville car dealerships acquired
Flow Automotive Cos. has completed its acquisition of five Umansky Automotive Group dealerships in Charlottesville, the company announced April 18. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Flow’s acquisition includes locations selling Honda, Toyota, Subaru, Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram automotive brands, according to a news release. Flow currently has dealerships representing Au[...]
It’s official — Ford plant going to Michigan
Ford Motor Co. announced Monday that it will build an electric vehicle battery plant in Michigan, a $3.5 billion project that Virginia was considered for until Gov. Glenn Youngkin pulled the state out of it late last year. Youngkin’s concern, he said in January, was over the involvement of China-based Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd. (CATL), […]
VW America CEO named Autos Drive America chair
Pablo Di Si, the Herndon-based president and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, has been elected chairman of Autos Drive America, a trade association that represents 12 international automakers with presences in the United States, Volkswagen announced Tuesday. Previously executive chair of Volkswagen’s South America region, Di Si was named president and CEO of the […]
Hyundai dealership to open in Roanoke County
A Hyundai sales and service facility is coming to Roanoke County, car dealership group Southern Team Automotive Group announced Tuesday. The 30,000-square-foot facility will be located at 7300 Williamson Road in the Hollins area in northern Roanoke County. The two-story showroom and facility will have DC fast-charging stations for electric vehicles. Construction is set to […]
Volkswagen to debut electric Microbus at SXSW
Herndon-based Volkswagen Group of America announced Wednesday that it would debut its electric bus during this year’s South by Southwest (SXSW) festival, which will be held March 11-20 in Austin, Texas. Designed to recall the iconic Type 2 Microbus introduced in 1967, the ID. Buzz is Volkswagen’s second noncommercial electric vehicle. The vehicle’s modern incarnation […]
Virginia Tech Transportation Institute taps new executive director
Zachary Doerzaph will become the next executive director of the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, the university’s largest research institute, effective Oct. 1. “Zac Doerzaph is a nationally recognized transportation researcher with extensive leadership experience in large team projects from different sponsors,” Virginia Tech Vice president for Research and Innovation Dan Sui said [...]
CarLotz expanding HQ in Richmond, adding 192 jobs
CarLotz, the nation’s largest consignment-to-retail used vehicle business, plans to expand its headquarters in the city of Richmond, creating 192 jobs, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Friday. To accommodate recent growth, the company will relocate from the city’s Manchester neighborhood to Scott’s Addition. CarLotz was founded 10 years ago in Richmond and went public in 2020 [&helli[...]
Checkered Flag Auto Group acquires Newport News dealership
Virginia Beach-based Checkered Flag Auto Group announced Tuesday that it has purchased the Pomoco Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Alfa Romeo and Fiat dealership in Newport News. The acquisition is the company’s first dealership on the peninsula and its first to include U.S. automotive brands. Checkered Flag Auto Group consists of 10 other dealerships in the […]
Volkswagen Group of America pulls ‘shocking’ April Fools’ prank
Calling it a “public declaration” of its priority on electric vehicles, Herndon-based Volkswagen Group of America Inc. unveiled a new company name, Voltswagen of America, accompanied by new branding, in a news release Tuesday. There was just one problem — the U.S. sales arm of the German automaker confirmed to news outlets Tuesday evening that […]
Stockholders approve CarLotz merger
CarLotz Inc., the Chesterfield County-based consignment dealer of used cars, announced Friday that stockholders had given it the requisite approval to complete a proposed merger with Miami-based special purpose acquisition company Acamar Partners Acquisition Corp. that is expected to close on Jan. 22. The merger is still subject to satisfaction of other conditions, including approval […]
Auto component supplier announces $4.6M Strasburg expansion
Automotive components and systems supplier International Automotive Components Group (IAC Group) will invest $4.6 million to expand its Strasburg operations and add auto component lines and products to its existing facility, creating 47 jobs, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Monday. Headquartered in Luxembourg, IAC Group is a supplier of instrument panels, console systems, door panels, headliners [&he[...]
Volvo electric trucks to be produced at NRV plant in early 2021
Volvo Trucks North America’s plant in Pulaski County will manufacture its new battery-powered VNR Electric truck model starting early next year, the company announced Thursday. The largest Volvo truck plant in the world, the Dublin facility currently employs close to 3,000 people and builds heavy-duty trucks of multiple models. The Volvo Class 8 VNR Electric […]