There are a lot of plans to lower fuel costs, though it’s not clear if most of them will either lower fuel costs immediately or at all. There is one surefire way to make diesel costs cheaper, and the savings are basically instantaneous, though the move is not without its costs.
Energy prices still dominate all talk of cars at the moment, and The Morning Dump unfortunately runs on a server powered by a Jetta Sportwagen TDI. Perhaps red-dyed diesel will save us all from insolvency. One might assume owning any Stellantis dealer would result in business troubles given the shakiness of the operation over the last few years, but in Q2 they were the most purchased dealerships.
Japanese automakers are shifting more production to the United States to deal with tariffs. Will Europe be next? And while we’re in Europe, let’s check out the preview of the new Alpine A110.
Get Ready To Put Some Red #26 In Your Car
Record high diesel and elevated gasoline prices in an even-numbered year have encouraged government leaders to consider a number of options. Right at the top, there’s been talk of a diesel export ban, though so far the negative consequences seem to have outnumbered the short-term fuel savings.
What’s a government to do? In Texas, where Republican Governor Greg Abbott is facing a surprisingly strong challenge from Democratic state rep Gina Hinojosa, the state has enacted a 30-day disaster declaration, as the Texas Tribune reports:
The declaration expands the use of dyed diesel on Texas roads, suspends Texas Low Emission Diesel rules to the limit the federal government authorizes and raises the allowable weight for fuel, agricultural and timber loads. The governor also requested the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to waive federal ultra-low sulfur diesel requirements to boost supply.
“Texas agriculture and freight run on diesel,” Abbott wrote in a statement. “Record prices put both industries at risk and raise costs for every Texas family. Farmers and truckers can now use dyed diesel on Texas roads, and fuel, crop, and timber loads can move at a higher weight. These steps cut costs on the farm, on the road and at the store.”
So what is red-dyed diesel? Is it going to cause an allergic reaction in your tractor? Not quite. Dyed diesel is just the regular, clear-ish diesel you normally use but it’s been dyed red with Solvent Red #26. Why? Governments at the state and federal level tax fuels in order to pay for things like highways, but not all fuel is used for on-road uses. Depending on where you live, red-dyed diesel can be used for agriculture or other off-road use. The red dye is just there to make sure you’re not caught putting off-road diesel into an on-road vehicle.
There’s been talk of doing this at a federal level, though Bloomberg correctly points out this is only a partial fix for high prices:
The federal tax on diesel is about 24 cents a gallon with state taxes adding, on average, another 36 cents, according to the US Energy Information Administration. Removing restrictions on sales of off-road diesel could lower prices for farmers to back under $6 a gallon, a meaningful reduction, but still well short of sub-$4 a gallon diesel seen before the US and Israel launched the war in Iran.
This is a short-term fix with its own long-term problems as people will still be using roads and it could create a shortfall in funding for transportation projects. The most obvious fix to this whole mess is to end the war in Iran, though that keeps not happening.
Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Dealers Are Suddenly Popular, As Are Hyundai Dealers
Sales volume can be a measure of popularity, though it can also be a measure of availability. In the case of dealership sales, I think both factors are in play. In the second quarter of this year, the most popular dealerships to sell were Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep at 29 each. Curiously, only 28 Ram dealers were sold, which makes me think someone held onto their Ram rooftop.
By comparison, there were 23 Ford dealerships sold, 12 Chevy dealerships, and 12 Hyundai dealerships (although that number is a 100% increase over 2025).
According to Automotive News, the popularity of CDJR stores is partially a belief that the brand is near the bottom, which means there’s a lot of upside:
Dahl Automotive, of La Crosse, Wis., bought a Minnesota Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram store in June as a long-term bet on future profitability, dealer Andrew Dahl said.
“There’s cycles with the brands,” Dahl said. “They get hot, they have a few off years, but they come back.”
Dahl Automotive acquired two Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram stores in 2023. Since then, Stellantis has revamped its field team and bolstered support for dealers, Dahl said.
And it is refreshing its lineup.
Not a lot of Toyota dealers were sold, because who would ever sell a Toyota dealer?
Toyota Might Get Hit By Rules Targeting China
There’s been a lot of consternation in Europe about the rise of Chinese automakers, which threaten the continent’s important auto industry employment. There’s been a big push for ‘Made in EU’ rules that restrict government incentives or tax breaks to vehicles that have 70% of their content made in EU.
This is a big deal for automakers as Nikkei Asia points out:
A delegation from the Japanese government and the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association met Sept. 16 with senior officials from the European People’s Party, the largest party in the European Parliament. About 40 people gathered in the parliament’s main building in Strasbourg.
“Our European operations are at risk of collapse,” a Japanese auto executive said.
In Europe, it is common for companies to provide employees with vehicles that can be used privately as part of their compensation packages. Corporations enjoy tax breaks on these “company cars.”
Company cars account for roughly 60% of new registrations in the European auto market. But the IAA states that EVs manufactured in non-EU countries would be ineligible for the company car tax breaks. Individuals who buy electrics made outside the EU would be ineligible for government purchase subsidies as well.
That’s not great. There is some Japanese production in Europe, though the biggest is probably Nissan’s Leaf plant in northern England, which is technically not Europe these days. Toyota is already a big automaker and manufacturer in Europe, but it hasn’t focused on EV production there, which could be an issue.
Here’s A Preview Of The New Alpine A110
As Adrian pointed out, the Alpine A110 is a lightweight miracle and a stunning piece of car design.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. Of all the cars I’ve driven in the last decade, the A110 remains one of my favorites.
It’s also been for sale for what feels like 30 years. A new A110 is coming, and Alpine has this sculpture to represent what the future looks like. Here’s the way the company describes the A110 in its press release:
The blue veil used in this sculpture, like a point of tension at the very moment it is caught by the wind, also suggests lightness and aerodynamics — key elements of a sports car in which form follows function. One of the strong inspirations comes from the Concorde epic, a symbol of French technological excellence, with a unique style forged by the exceptional performance of a civil aircraft capable of breaking the sound barrier. This precise moment, marked by a powerful sonic resonance, is one of the major sources of inspiration for the sculpture: a suspended instant charged with a high concentration of energy.
These elements must be combined with the DNA that makes an Alpine A110: proportions and a stance in the lineage of the Berlinette and the current A110. The third generation will unmistakably be an Alpine A110, with its V-shaped front-end treatment, the dual light signature suggested here, the typical side modelling born from the evocation of movement — modernised and more sculptural — and the contrast between tension and curvaceous volumes, conveyors of emotion and symbols of Alpine’s technical mastery.
This is enough to make me think that maybe Alpine isn’t going to mess this up physically, though I’m still skeptical about how much they can make an EV feel like an A110.
What I’m Listening To While Writing TMD
I am on the couch eating breakfast and watching Gilmore Girls (shocker), and Rory brings Lane to a party with the Chilton girls. There’s a DJ and he plays “Where It’s At” by Beck and “Ms. Jackson” by Outkast. These are great songs and era appropriate, but it’s hard to believe that anyone at that party is cool enough to choose it. Then I remembered that they’re wealthy and probably hired New York’s best DJ. Either way, let’s enjoy some Outkast.
The Big Question
Which car dealership would you own if you could own any car dealership? I guess Beau doesn’t get to answer this one. Actually, I am curious what else Beau would like to have in the group.
Top photo: Barnes Petroleum
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