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Episode · Friday, October 16, 2026 · 3:30

Penske Goes Private, Prices Stall Near Record

One of the industry's largest public dealer groups is leaving the public market. Penske Automotive is going private in a sixteen point three billion dollar deal, CBT News reports. New-vehicle prices sit fifty-two dollars short of December's record, and CBT News says buyers are trading down to cheaper trims instead of stretching for the unit they came in for. Ford has opened preorder invitations for its sub-thirty-thousand-dollar electric pickup, Lexus has shifted thirty-five thousand vehicles to US dealers as global sales slow, and wholesale prices just posted their steepest weekly decline in months, according to Auto Remarketing. Edmunds' latest financing data shows payments and loan terms both climbing, Lotlinx has a new chief commercial officer, and Automotive News finds dealers less confident heading into next year than the automakers they buy from.

In this episode

Questions from this episode

What is the size of the deal taking Penske Automotive private?

Penske Automotive is going private in a $16.3 billion deal, according to CBT News.

How close are new-vehicle prices to December's record?

New-vehicle transaction prices hit $50,562 in September, sitting $52 short of December's record, with year-over-year growth at just 0.7%.

Why are new-vehicle prices barely growing despite staying near record highs?

CBT News reports that buyers are trading down to lower trims rather than absorbing higher stickers, which is keeping overall price growth flat even as prices sit near record levels.

What does Edmunds' Q3 financing data show about car loans?

Edmunds' third-quarter financing data shows record monthly payments and growth in 84-month loan terms, with Edmunds head of insights Jessica Caldwell flagging the risk that shoppers are trading in vehicles before finishing payoff on the loan underneath them.

How does dealer confidence compare to automaker confidence heading into next year?

Automotive News' third-quarter data shows dealers and suppliers rating future conditions lower than automakers do, meaning dealers setting fourth-quarter and early-2027 budgets face a factory outlook that reads more optimistic than their own.

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