#589 -🌭💸🎶 Hotdogs And LYRIQS

TOGETHER WITH

Hyundai’s showing off wheels, Toyota’s planning for a new record, and GM found its new favorite grocery store.

It’s crazy how much the news can change from day to day. Companies try new things, and those things sink or swim, and consumers adopt or reject, rinse, repeat.

But while the tech gurus, car makers, and retail giants reinvent our agreed-upon language, dealers get to translate it all back to consumers.

Don’t forget that staying informed isn’t some stock market hack, it's how we love people more than we love cars, even when nobody is watching.

Keep Pushing Back
-Paul, Kyle, Chris & Kristi

_{Was this email forwarded to you? Subscribe here!
Reading time: 5 min and 36 sec}

BUSINESS

News to Know

Hyundai Cuts Corners 

Most great features have limitless applications; Hyundai's Ioniq 5 has a feature that seems to have a very limited number of applications. 

• e-Corner System turns the wheels of the EV sideways, allowing it to spin in place, perform a semi-drift maneuver, parallel park, or, maybe most importantly, escape a tight parallel park situation. 

• The Steer-by-Wire system means each of the vehicle's four wheels is independently controlled by electronic motors, which is pretty much restricted to EV-only use. 

•  Hyundai Mobis says it is adding more cameras, sensors, and projectors in cars with the feature for safety needs.

• They say the system is not designed for high-speed driving and has only been tested up to 50 MPH.

Quick math — going forward at 50 mph feels like going 30 mph but going sideways at 50 mph feels like going 90 mph. 

We know you're just thrilled to be sharing the road with these, so look toward 2026 for their slow global release. 

Charging the New Charger

The new Dodge Charger comes with a charger. No pun intended. 

• Photos are out and about showing off the next-gen Charger and its lack of exhaust pipes, confirming claims about an electric version of the classic name. 

• Named the Charger Daytona, it carries design elements from the 2022 concept version.

• Final designs should be released soon, with the car being sold later this year.

Stallantis' Restructuring

Following weak demand, Stellantis is temporarily laying off workers in Turin, Italy. Of the 2,250 workers going home, 1,250 produce the electric Fiat 500, and the other 1,000 produce Maseratis.

• The layoff will stretch from February 12th to March 3rd. 

• Many shoppers in the European market are waiting for incentives and tax breaks to be more well-established before buying an EV. 

In the US, the company offered 6,400 white-collar buyouts in November and announced it would cut over 500 supplemental jobs across its US manufacturing locations. 

Toyota's 10M

Toyota says it will produce 10.3M vehicles in 2024. If they manage to reach the goal, it will be the second consecutive year the brand sets a new global production record. 

• 3.4M in Japan, 6.9M overseas. 

• Spread across the Lexus brand and Toyota.

• 250,000 EVs in 2024, with a goal of 600,000 in 2025. 

Hybrid neutrality?  The company's plan is partially the result of a really positive year for its hybrid offerings. It says now that its work with hybrids, ICE, and EVs is all part of its push for carbon neutrality. 

BMW's Tipping Point

BMW's CFO says the company has passed a "tipping point" with ICE engines and is now seeing its growth come from EVs. 

• 15% of 2023 sales were EVs, and they hope to grow that to 33% by 2026. 

However, the company says it isn't done with hydrogen power as its goal pivots toward adaptability. 

• The company's new Munich plant will be built around adaptability to produce ICE, EV, hydrogen, or newly developed vehicles, as the market insists. 

• The plant will also use AI for precision assembly, training, and quality control tasks. 

We've heard the "robots are taking our jobs" jargon, but "robots are becoming our bosses" is a new level of "oops" coming out of the future tech conversation. 

GM and Costco

The Cadillac LYRIQ has lost its tax break, but GM has a plan with everybody's favorite spot to score free samples — Costco. 

Essentially, anybody with a Costco membership as of Jan 2, 2024, can register with the retail giant's Auto Program and receive a promo code to knock $1,000 off the price of their $60K+ EV. 

A $1,000 coupon doesn't make up for a $7,500 tax cut, we know, but GM thought of that too and is offering an equivalent discount for vehicles that lost eligibility. So, this Costco discount, like their hotdogs, is legit and pretty cool...if you like hotdogs or EVs.

While Hyundai slings rides on Amazon, you may drive your next pile of bulk beef jerky home in a new caddy. 

. . .

If you can’t innovate, collaborate.

All of these announcements, even the odd ones, seem to poke at our current market moment, looking for the next foothold to keep climbing.

Don’t let them have all the fun! What can you do in your state, city, or neighborhood to leverage innovation to oil the gears of collaboration? Or, collaborate to throw rocket fuel on your innovation?

TOGETHER WITH OUTSELL

Partners in Progress

Outsell is Automotive's leading Customer Engagement Platform powered by AI Assist™. 

In 2023 alone, Outsell sent over 350 million personalized engagements on behalf of our dealer customers, which generated $1 billion in gross profit.  

Visit them at Booth 4801W during NADA and see why they’ve got your best strategy for 2024!

Book a demo today.

TIE CUTTERS

2024 TIME Dealer of the Year Nominee: Rita Case

Rita Case is rocking it as a nominee for the TIME Dealer of the Year Award, representing the Florida Automobile Dealers Association. From her family's Honda dealership, Rita's been about breaking barriers in the car world, especially for women. She's a leader in sales and a powerhouse in community service.

Rita's all about giving back. Whether fundraising for the Boys & Girls Clubs through auto shows or getting bikes to kids in need, she has a big heart for her community. And let's remember her role in building affordable homes with Habitat for Humanity.

Cheers to you, Rita! The ASOTU team is all about your inspiring mix of business leadership and community spirit. You're driving change in more ways than one! 👏

AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE

Coming Soon

• TOMORROW, JANUARY 17, 2024 @ 12:00 - 5:00 pm EST
  Disruptive Forces in Automotive Retail: How to Effectively Navigate the EV Transformation
  Leading experts like David Spisak unveil the latest trends and strategies in electric vehicle technology, market dynamics, and consumer preferences in this dynamic online forum. Join ASOTU’s Paul J Daly for this FREE event. It is a must-attend for anyone eager to stay ahead of the EV curve!
  🔌 Register here 🔌 
   

• THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 2024
  Public Policy Day at WANADA
  At this year’s Washington Auto Show, we're mixing serious auto insights with serious fun. With our friends at Mosaic, we’re talking with big names about big topics in the industry, and we want YOU to be part of the conversation.
  ✨ Get in on our exclusive coverage ✨
   

• FEBRUARY 1 - 4, 2024

  NADA 2024 in Las Vegas

  Are you going to NADA and itching for some eye-catching media coverage? We're your dream team for content creation.

  🎥 Let’s link up 🎥

CULTURE

Artists, Magicians, or Robots?

Wizards of the Coast cops to using AI art in a marketing image for Magic: The Gathering after banning its use in 2023. Fans spotted AI-like elements in a January 4 post, which were initially claimed to be human-made.

• Company's Response: Upon scrutiny, Wizards acknowledged the inadvertent inclusion of AI components, citing AI-integrated tools like Photoshop. They reaffirm their commitment to human artists and review vendor processes to align with this ethos.

• Broader Implications: This incident highlights the challenge of monitoring AI use, especially among freelancers and contractors. It also sparked a legal and ethical debate in the art community.

• Midjourney Controversy: The AI art generator Midjourney faces allegations of using Magic: The Gathering art to train its algorithm, further fueling the controversy around AI art and copyright issues.

The controversy has affected artist relations, with notable artist Dave Rapoza severing ties with Wizards of the Coast due to the issue. 

Quick Hits

• A new Prince of Persia game promises a Metroidvania experience with a soulslike feel, along with nearly every other game that has come out in the last ten years. 🕹

• The first streaming NFL playoff game grabs 23 million viewers. 👀

• A private US space company failed to shoot its lander to the moon and says the doomed vessel will burn up on reentry instead. 🌙

History

• 27 BC: Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus is granted the title Augustus by the Roman Senate, marking the beginning of the Roman Empire. 👑

• 1948: Ford F-Series trucks go on sale. 🛻

• 2003: Space Shuttle Columbia is launched on its final mission, featuring more than 80 experiments from around the world. 🚀