12:22 pm, October 27, 2025
In February 2026, Car Dealer will be heading to the NADA conference along with a group of UK dealers and suppliers – but with so much to see at the show, what should delegates be looking for?
Next year’s conference will return to Las Vegas and move to a midweek schedule from Tuesday, February 3, to Friday, February 6, with thousands of dealers from around the world flooding to the city to learn about how to take their businesses forward in 2026.
There’s still time to book to join the group heading stateside with Car Dealer by clicking here. Included with the package is flights to Las Vegas, accommodation for five nights, NADA 2026 conference ticket, airport transfers, ATOL protection and a group evening event with the Car Dealer delegation.
You can now plan your visit on NADA’s website and see all of the different talks and workshops available to attend, but below we look at the key sessions and themes that’ll be covered.
Implementing AI in your dealership and what it should actually be doing?
AI is an ever increasing topic for car dealers, and at NADA 2026 they will be tackling this head on. Its first Super Session ‘AI disruption or AI advantage?’ will look at how the sales, service and back office processes are changing because of artificial intelligence with real examples of how dealers are using the technology.
What’s next when customers no longer shop the old way
NADA’s second Super Session, ‘Fueling the future: What’s next in vehicle sales’, explores new buying behaviours, online retail models and subscription-style ownership. As dealers wrestle with online-to-offline sales transitions, this session shows how US stores are blending digital convenience with showroom experience.
Sourcing stock and managing margins in unpredictable times
What US dealers refer to as ‘variable operations’, we in the UK would call new and used vehicle sales and F&I. This is understandably a huge topic at NADA and speakers will be covering how car dealers can use inventory management, used car pricing, and F&I performance to manage margins. Expect insight into pricing strategy, stock-turn efficiency and data-driven sourcing ideas that can protect profitability.
Building profit by mastering aftersales and service efficiency
These workshops will look at service-lane efficiency, EV maintenance planning, and parts profitability. As new car margins thin, aftersales is the stability every group needs, and these sessions show how by modernising it bottom lines can also grow.
Hiring the right people and creating a culture they don’t want to leave
The ‘Human Capital’ programme tackles recruitment, retention and culture. Expect case studies from groups that have reduced staff turnover and built inclusive workplaces. This will offer fresh strategies for employer branding and onboarding.
Leading through constant change
An important topic for any company owner, dealer principal or manager is how lead through change, particularly in an industry where there is so much change all of the time. Leadership sessions throughout the conference will tackle how to manage transformation, looking at situations from digitalisation to integrating multi-sites. Workshops will look at building leadership pipelines and aligning teams through growth and disruption.
Turning clicks into customers by mastering digital marketing
The Marketing & Digital education area is packed with practical workshops on online advertising, CRM automation and omnichannel customer journeys. These sessions will look at exactly how US dealers are driving leads into dealerships and what campaigns are working.
Learning fast — 20-minute sessions that change your thinking
Not everything at NADA 2026 is about delving deep into a topic, sometimes you can find the little bit of inspiration you need at the Dealer Learning Lab. Here they host 20 minute sessions on a wide range of topics, from AI tools to customer retention tactics. All of these give quick and actionable ideas for onlookers.
To find out how you can be at NADA 2026 contact [email protected] for full prices and group itinerary or call 02393 522 592.
Prices are accurate as of publication and are subject to change with limited availability. Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
