The Garage Report #001

BIG STORY
Dodge & FCA Brands Sales Tank in First Half of 2025 

Stellantis had a rough first half of the year—U.S. sales are down 11%, but Dodge took the hardest hit with a massive 49% drop in sales. Alfa Romeo and Chrysler aren’t far behind, down 34% and 22% respectively. Tough times for muscle cars and sedans without any in demand EV or hybrid offerings.

Here’s the breakdown:

• The aging Charger and Challenger are clearly losing steam, and Dodge’s early EV plans aren’t making up the difference.

• Alfa Romeo and Chrysler both desperately need fresh products—and buyers aren’t waiting around for them.

• On the flip side, Ram sales are actually up about 2%, and Fiat’s quirky little cars has jumped a surprising 95%.

Bottom line: If you’re in the market for a Dodge or Chrysler, expect some deep discounts soon—these brands are going to have to move metal to stay afloat.

MARKET SNAPSHOT
This Weeks Industry Insights

If you're shopping right now, here’s what matters:

🏷️ New-car average price is $48,749, nearly unchanged from last month but still 3.1% higher year-over-year

📈 Days’ supply is at 82—that’s a 14.5% rise from June but still lower than last year

💰 Used-car values up 6.3% YoY, with the Manheim Index hitting 208.5—the highest level since late 2023

📉 New-vehicle sales pace slowed, with annualized June rate around 15.3 M units—flat month-over-month and slightly down year-over-year

NEW DROP
Bentley’s First EV Is….Kinda Wild

Bentley just showed off the EXP 15 Design Vision Concept, their latest peek at what the future of ultra-luxury electric cars might look like—and yeah, it’s a head-turner.

Here’s what makes it interesting:

• It’s a high-riding, luxury grand tourer with sleek, coupe-like lines—but it’s also clearly designed to stand out, not blend in.

• Inside, it’s loaded with wild design details like a “three-seat” front row setup (yes, three seats…check out the photo below).

• Bentley says it’s inspired by “a story reimagined for the future,” blending elements of the classic R-Type Continental with modern electric tech.

• No power specs yet—this is strictly a design study—but it’s their boldest EV concept yet.

My take: Whether you’re into EVs or not, you gotta admit this thing looks like it belongs on a sci-fi movie set. Will it actually get built? Probably not—but it’s pretty clear Bentley isn’t planning to go subtle with their future cars.

👉 See the full Bentley press release here

FAST UPDATES
Quick Shifts

• Rimac Nevera Just Shattered Speed Records Again:
  The 2,107 horsepower Rimac Nevera R is back on top after reclaiming the world records for acceleration, quarter-mile time, and top speed for production EVs. It hits 60 mph in just 1.66 seconds, ran the quarter-mile in a mind-bending 7.90 seconds and hit a verified top speed of 268 mph—making it officially the world’s fastest production EV. Whether you love or hate EVs, those numbers are hard to ignore.

• More Buyers Are Stuck With $1,000+ Monthly Car Payments:
  Nearly 1 in 5 new-car buyers is now signing up for monthly payments over $1,000—a new record. Rising interest rates, longer loan terms, and expensive new-car prices are all pushing buyers into these massive payments. It’s a sign of just how tough the current market is, especially for anyone financing with less-than-perfect credit

• Automakers Are Rushing To Dump EVs Before Tax Credits Disappear:
  Car companies are scrambling to sell off EV inventory ahead of looming tax credit changes that could cut off key incentives for many models. Dealers are pushing big lease offers and discounts right now to clear these cars out. If you’ve been on the fence about an EV, this could be your last shot at scoring a serious deal before prices go up again

• Nissan & Infiniti Recall Vehicles For Engine Issues:
  Nissan and Infiniti just announced a major recall affecting roughly 444,000 vehicles, including the Rogue, Altima, QX50, and QX55, due to problems with their VC-Turbo engines. The issue? Engine damage caused by faulty bearings that could lead to sudden power loss. If you own one of these models, it’s worth checking your VIN and getting it inspected ASAP
  

BY THE NUMBERS
Top 10 Best Selling Luxury Vehicles Of 2025 (so far)

Here’s a look at the top-selling luxury vehicles so far this year according to Car and Driver — no surprise, SUVs dominate the list. Lexus is crushing it, but BMW and Mercedes aren’t far behind.

ON THE RADAR
Upcoming Automotive Events

NASCAR at Sonoma – Toyota/Save Mart 350 (July 13, 3:30 PM ET)
This road-course classic is back in California, mixing tight turns with high-speed straights. Expect intense battles from both Cup and Xfinity series cars, with plenty of strategic pit calls and tire wear drama. Tune in—it’s one of the smartest races of the season.

F1 Belgian Grand Prix – Spa-Francorchamps (July 25–27, Race Sun 9 AM ET)
Spa is legendary—the long straights, big elevation shifts, and unpredictable weather make it one of the most exciting races on the calendar. With the Sprint format and heavy rain chances, this one’s a real wildcard weekend.

Goodwood Festival of Speed (July 11–14)
Dropping in this weekend! Think supercars, vintage racers, hill climbs, and a huge celebration of F1 history. Classic and modern machines scream up the Goodwood hill — it’s pure enthusiast fuel.

THIS WEEK IN AUTO HISTORY
The Apollo 11 Corvette Connection.

July 16, 1969 (technically next week but close enough) — Apollo 11 blasted off toward the Moon, making history. But here’s a fun little car connection you might not know about.

Back in the '60s, NASA astronauts were pretty famous for driving brand-new Chevy Corvettes. Not because they were loaded with cash—but because Florida Chevy dealer (and Indy 500 champ) Jim Rathmann set them up with a sweet deal: $1 a year to lease a Corvette. He knew exactly what he was doing—imagine the PR gold of astronauts rolling around in America’s sports car!

During the Apollo era, it wasn’t uncommon to see astronauts—yes, even some of the Apollo 11 crew—driving Corvettes around NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Technically, NASA banned endorsements, but let’s be real—Chevy didn’t need ads when astronauts were casually cruising Corvettes to work.

It’s one of those stories that perfectly captures the swagger of the space race era. Corvette + astronauts? An iconic combo that still lives on today.

CAR BUYING
Pro Tip For Used Car Buyers

Thinking about a pre-owned ride? Be sure to run a full vehicle history report—it’s one of the best ways to verify a dealer’s claims (accidents, title issues, etc.). You can do that here 👉 RUN A HISTORY REPORT

VIDEO OF THE WEEK
The Barn Find Ford GT

This video dropped from Hagerty about a month ago, but as a GT40 fan I felt like I had to share it. Even if you’re not a big GT40 fan I think you’ll appreciate this video.

📨 I Want To Hear From You!

What did you think about this email? Did you get some value? I hope so because I promise to try and make this better and better every week!

Got thoughts on Dodge’s slump? Curious about new-car deals or just want me to dig into a specific trend? Hit reply and let me know—I read every email.

Catch you next week!

Brian Mello
The Garage Report
@realbrianmello