No sharp new-car deals anytime soon, microchip shortage continues to strangle global vehicle production

After a decade of record-low new-car affordability and drive-away deals, prices continue to rise or remain steady as global vehicle production remains strangled by a worldwide shortage of microchips. Major car brands including Toyota, Volkswagen, General Motors, Ford, Nissan, and Mazda have announced or foreshadowed production slowdowns due to a sustained shortage in electronics components.