🚗 Creative Resilience

TOGETHER WITH

Good morning, Fam!

Of course, you've been too busy this morning to read our little bitty newsletter first thing, so good afternoon and evening to you as well. Today we've got some resilience, some rebellion, and some reexaminations.

• Lucid and Hyundai have been reading our mail with stoic confidence that they ain't scared of the noise.

• Auto Loans are bouncing back.

• And, like a new hockey player, inventory is collecting injuries daily. There is a reference to that Brian Regan "You Had Logs?" bit in here somewhere, but we'll let you find it.

We've got more below, enjoy and have a happy and healthy day, Friend!

Keep Pushing Back
-Paul, Kyle, Chris & Kristi

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THE NEWS

Resilience, Credit, and Inventory Injuries 🤕 

Lucid and Hyundai: Calm in the Chaos

While the world clutches pearls over China’s control of critical EV materials, Lucid and Hyundai are cool as cucumbers. Lucid just signed a series of deals that will make it the first U.S. EV maker to source both synthetic and natural graphite domestically. Starting in 2026, we’re talking graphite from Louisiana and Ohio, with Alaska’s supply kicking in by 2028. That means faster charging, better tax credit alignment, and less dependency on overseas turbulence.

Meanwhile, Hyundai isn’t scrambling—they’ve been stacking inventory like grandma stacks soup cans before a snowstorm. They’ve got enough rare earth materials for at least a year of uninterrupted EV production. Both automakers are setting the tone: resilience, planning, and leadership.

Credit: The Gate Is Cracking Open

May brought a small but mighty improvement in auto credit availability. Dealertrack’s Credit Index ticked up, with slightly higher approval rates and a bigger slice going to subprime borrowers. But it’s a mixed blessing. Interest rates are rising, long-term loans are getting longer, and more folks are underwater on their trades.

It’s a classic case of “you can get the loan, but you’ll feel it later.” Lenders are loosening, but smart finance managers should keep a hand on the throttle.

Inventory: Tariffs In, Shipments Out

U.S. vehicle imports dropped a jaw-dropping 72% in May. Tariffs and political limbo have automakers pausing shipments, hoping for clearer skies. Add to that China’s overcapacity problem, and we’re in for global inventory whiplash.

Dealers, now’s the time: plan ahead, move what you can, and prep for supply gaps before they hit your lot.

➕ More

We’ve got more on these and several other stories in our Daily Digest.

🥊 Quick Hits

• Meta is moving its bet from Artificial Intelligence to “superintelligence.” 🧠 

• Toyota and Daimler have merged their truck units. 🚛 

• A cannabis dispensary is offering discounts to anybody who can bring photographic proof of Bigfoot. So… maybe there are incentive ideas you’ve not tried yet in your store, huh? 🦶 

TOGETHER WITH MIA LABS

AI Integration Done Right

In this follow-up to the conversations sparked at ASOTU CON, Luke Morris, Parts & Service Director at Earnhardt CDJR, and Scott Traylor of Mia, unpack what it actually looks like to integrate AI without overwhelming your people or blowing up your processes.

You’ll hear real stories, hard-won lessons, and tips you can act on today, like how Mia booked 40 test drives over a holiday weekend with zero staff in-store.

If you’re looking for ways to make AI a calm, confident upgrade—not a culture shock—this is your after-hours blueprint.

Register for the 30-minute webinar today!

MORE THAN CARS MOMENTS

56 Raptors, Countless Smiles

What happens when off-road horsepower meets heartfelt purpose?

This past weekend, 56 Ford Raptors roared into Rally Ready Ranch for a first-ever off-road event hosted by Daniel, Leif Johnson Ford, and the Rally Ready team, with all proceeds benefiting Central Texas Make-A-Wish.

But the real high-performance heroes? The Wish kids.

From cautious first steps near the towering trucks to confidently asking, “Can I go again?”—these brave kids transformed before everyone’s eyes. Every bump in the dirt trail built confidence. Every lap etched joy into the day.

Leif Johnson Ford matched donations. Raptor owners showed up big. And one community proved that trucks can do more than drive—they can lift hearts.

Because when passion meets purpose, it’s always more than cars.

Thank you for sharing the story, Daniel Govaer!

AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE

Perception Vs. Performance

AI is already on the floor, and this ASOTU CON panel goes deep on what that means for the customer experience—and your bottom line.

Scott Traylor (yep, that Scott from our upcoming webinar!), Joshua Utley, and Gray Scott unpack the real use cases, red flags, and rapid changes shaping the AI-assisted showroom. It’s sharp, surprising, and closer than you think.

Watch this can’t-miss session today.

🔁 Today in History

• 1962: Frank Morris, John Anglin, and Clarence Anglin became the only prisoners to escape from Alcatraz Island. 🏝️ 

• 1963: John F. Kennedy addresses Americans from the Oval Office proposing the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which revolutionized American society by guaranteeing equal access to public facilities, ending segregation in education, and guaranteeing federal protection for voting rights. 🇺🇸 

• 1986: The movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off premieres in theaters, but the Ferrari steals the show. 🏎️ 

If you made it this far…