Auto executives and dealers entered 2021 hoping to restock dealerships depleted by pandemic-related factory shutdowns last spring. Instead, parts shortages and other factors disrupting production have extended the inventory crunch, and auto retailers said that it could be months before relief comes, the Wall Street Journal reported. For buyers, there are slimmer pickings, higher prices and longer waits, dealers and analysts said. Many consumers have had to order models from the factory or pick from vehicles still in transit to the dealership, rather than immediately driving their new rides off the lot. The lack of new cars stands as a barrier to what could be a strong bounceback year for the industry. Analysts said pent-up demand, continued low interest rates and a new round of stimulus checks going to consumers should help lift showroom traffic in the coming months as the industry’s spring selling season gets under way. A monthslong shortage of semiconductors has forced auto makers to cut production of even their most-lucrative vehicles. Winter storms in Texas last month disrupted plastics production, leading to shortages of seat foam and other materials, car makers and suppliers have said. A backup at West Coast ports is delaying vehicle-part shipments from Asia. The supply-chain disruptions began late last year and have hit almost every major auto manufacturer in recent months, from Volkswagen AG and Nissan Motor Co. to General Motors Co.
