TOGETHER WITH :
Howdy Fam!
Incentives may move feet, but stories move hearts, y’all.
Saturday, I spoke with Paul and Kyle about this story from our friends at Haselwood Auto Group. They are raising money for their local YMCA so it can serve their community in a special way.
So, while they are for sure implementing every best practice for tech, marketing, incentives, and the works, they are also putting good stories in the hearts of their community.
If brand is how somebody feels when they think about your company, actions like these are working when you aren’t looking.
Keep Pushing Back,
—Chris with Paul, Kyle & Kristi
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AI Is Entering the Showroom, but People Still Close the Deal
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AI kiosks are starting to show up in dealerships with a clear pitch: answer questions faster, reduce labor, modernize the experience. Epikar’s rollout shows this model can drive efficiency overseas. But in the U.S., the data is steady. Customers still expect to talk to a person early in the process, not just at the end.
Where does AI actually fit in the buying journey?
It fits where information is needed, not where trust is built.
As Paul said on Automotive State of the Union, this is a “human-in-the-loop” moment. Kyle added that once customers are physically in-store, they “crave that human interaction.”
That tension is the signal. Customers are fine with AI helping them explore. But when the decision becomes real, they look for a person who can guide, clarify, and confirm. The role of AI in retail is expanding. The role of people is not shrinking. It is getting more focused.
Automakers Are Reworking Product Plans Around Reality
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This week’s product moves show a shift away from broad ambition and toward targeted execution.
Kia is planning a midsize pickup for the U.S., stepping directly into one of the most important and profitable segments.
Tesla is reportedly working on a smaller, more affordable EV, reopening the conversation around entry-level access.
Nissan is seeing immediate demand in China with a value-focused EV that blends range, charging speed, and price.
What do these moves tell us about demand?
Buyers are still engaged, but they are choosing more carefully.
Utility still anchors the U.S. market.
Affordability is back at the center of EV adoption.
Speed to value is winning in global markets.
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AccuTrade appraises 98% of VINs in under five minutes using real-time market data and diagnostics to generate exact, guaranteed offers your team can trust. No guesswork. No hidden recon surprises eating into your front-end gross after the fact.
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Make every appraisal fast, accurate, and repeatable so every VIN is priced right from the start.
Porsche’s Slump Shows Even Premium Brands Feel Pressure
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Porsche’s global deliveries fell 15% in Q1, with declines in China and North America. Only Germany saw growth.
This comes as the brand adjusts its EV timing and leans back into combustion models after demand softened. That shift carries cost, and it shows up in the numbers.
Is any brand insulated right now?
No. Not even Porsche.
The same forces are showing up everywhere. EV demand is uneven. Competition is tighter. Buyers are taking more time. The premium segment is not immune to any of it. Strong brands still matter. But timing, pricing, and clarity matter more than they used to.
The EV Market Is Resetting, Not Retreating
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Cox Automotive’s latest data shows EV sales down year over year, with share holding steady below prior highs. That is not collapse. It is a reset.
The market is moving from incentive-driven growth to value-driven decisions. Pricing, infrastructure, and product fit now carry more weight.
What will drive the next phase of EV adoption?
Buyers are asking practical questions about cost, charging, and daily life. Interest rises when gas prices spike, but decisions take time. The market is still moving forward, just with more friction and more thought behind each purchase.
Where the Rubber Meets the Road
Customers are already seeing these headlines. Your edge is helping them make sense of it.
Translate news into meaning.
Turn EV talk into cost and daily use.
Use AI to prep your thinking, not replace your voice.
Simple prompt to try:
“Take this automotive news and rewrite it for a dealership customer in [your city]. Explain what it actually means for their monthly payment, daily driving, and ownership costs. Include 1 short social post, 2 natural conversation starters a salesperson could use, and 1 simple explanation of whether this is something they should care about right now or not. Keep it clear, practical, and jargon-free.”
Clarity wins right now.
The most important moments in your dealership happen in conversation.
On the phone. On the lot. In the service lane. In F&I.
Siro brings those moments into focus.
It gives leadership a clear view into how conversations are actually happening, so you can spot what your top performers do, catch missed opportunities while they still matter, and shape your process around what’s really working.
At ASOTU CON, Siro is stepping into the spotlight to show how dealers are turning everyday conversations into a real competitive advantage.
1870 – The New York City Metropolitan Museum of Art is founded.
1965 – The ten millionth Pontiac is produced.
1970 – At 10:08 PM EST, an oxygen tank aboard the Apollo 13 Service Module explodes, putting the crew in great danger and causing major damage to the Apollo command and service module while en route to the Moon. Tom Hanks got home okay though.
