Cox Automotive vs Jaguar Land Rover

Cox Automotive's VinSolutions Integrates Fullpath CDP in CRM

Cox Automotive's VinSolutions announced an integration that embeds Fullpath's AI-powered Customer Data Platform (CDP) directly into the VinSolutions CRM. This upgrade is available to all mutual clients, eliminating the need for separate logins. The embedded CDP provides AI-generated shopper summaries, website activity data, and enhanced customer context within the CRM interface. The integration aims to empower sales reps with actionable insights at critical moments. Fullpath, now part of the Cox Automotive portfolio, emphasized the scalability and innovation this brings to dealers. The rollout will continue through the end of the year. This move strengthens Cox Automotive's position in the automotive martech space by combining CRM and CDP capabilities.

• Cox Automotive's VinSolutions embeds Fullpath's AI-powered CDP directly into its CRM.
• Integration available to all mutual Fullpath and VinSolutions clients.
• Fullpath is part of the Cox Automotive portfolio.

CarLocal Expands Automotive AI Answer Engine Amid Dealer AI Gap

CarLocal.io is expanding its automotive AI answer engine and dealership visibility infrastructure as AI becomes a more prominent starting point in vehicle shopping. According to Cox Automotive's Q2 2026 AI in Auto Retail Tracker, 63% of in-market shoppers plan to use AI during their next purchase, and 36% already use AI as a research channel. However, only 29% of dealers are actively adjusting for AI-powered search, creating a gap. CarLocal combines search engine optimization (SEO), answer engine optimization (AEO), generative engine optimization (GEO), structured dealership data, and MCP-ready infrastructure to help dealerships become part of AI answers. The company reports correcting over 11,000 promotional claims and resolving 573 canonical conflicts across its network, and currently supports 21 dealership deployments.

• CarLocal.io is expanding its automotive AI answer engine and dealership visibility infrastructure.
• Cox Automotive's Q2 2026 AI in Auto Retail Tracker found 63% of shoppers plan to use AI, but only 29% of dealers are adjusting for AI search.
• CarLocal corrected over 11,000 promotional claims and resolved 573 canonical conflicts in its network.

Cox Automotive Forecast: August New-Vehicle Sales Pace Expected to Top 16 Million for Sixth Straight Month

Cox Automotive forecasts August new-vehicle sales pace to exceed 16 million SAAR for the sixth consecutive month.

WPP and Jaguar Land Rover Face Shrinkage Challenge

This opinion piece draws parallels between WPP and Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), both iconic British companies facing workforce reductions and competitive pressures. WPP's 'turnaround to Elevate28' plan, which regained the entire JLR account, is overshadowed by JLR's job cuts. Both companies have lost distinctiveness, with WPP struggling to differentiate from rivals like Publicis and Omnicom, while JLR's brand equity has eroded due to the end of the Defender and a controversial rebrand. The article argues that cost-cutting alone cannot restore their former greatness.

• WPP won the entire Jaguar Land Rover business earlier this year.
• JLR is signaling thousands of job cuts.
• WPP expects a 'mid to low single-digit decline in revenue' this year.

WPP CEO: Outcome-Based Pay Still Years Away

WPP CEO Cindy Rose said widespread client adoption of outcome-based remuneration will take several years, despite making it a pillar of WPP’s turnaround plan. WPP published its first-half results showing revenues (less pass-through costs) of £5 billion, down 4.7%, with creative revenue down 3.5% and media down 5.4%. The group is pursuing AI investments (including a previously stated £300m annual commitment), cost optimization for AI token use, sales of non-core businesses to raise £200m by year-end, and £500m of cost savings over three years, alongside ongoing staff reductions (headcount down ~8.1% to 97,400). CFO Joanne Wilson said WPP’s Open platform and AI tools are central to operations and pitches. Rose said WPP will use a “mixed economy of business models” as it stabilizes and aims to return to growth in 2027.

• WPP CEO Cindy Rose said client adoption of outcome-based pay will likely take a few years.
• WPP H1 revenues less pass-through costs were £5 billion, down 4.7% year-on-year.
• WPP’s creative businesses (including VML and Ogilvy) saw revenues fall 3.5%; WPP Media revenues fell 5.4%.