US car dealers are using a new sales tactic to attract buyers amid President Trump’s 25% auto import tariffs. The dealerships advertise tariff-free cars, which gained popularity in commercials and online ads.
Mercedes-Benz, Infiniti, and Porsche are among the automakers promoting tariff-free cars as part of their marketing strategy. Mercedes-Benz claims it will cover the costs of tariffs for model year 2025 cars and has enough imported inventory to maintain this promise.
However, industry experts have raised concerns about the long-term sustainability of this approach. Tom Maoli, owner of Celebrity Motor Car Company, a dealership that operates Lexus, BMW, and Ford showrooms, believes it’s a short-term marketing plan and dealers may need to pass on tariffs to consumers eventually.
Infiniti has announced plans to keep prices steady in the US for the short term and is exploring alternative production methods, including using excess capacity in Mexico. The company aims to maintain tariff-free prices until June 2.
Source: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/tariff-free-cars-are-being-advertised-at-dealerships-but-for-how-long-150025063.html