🚗 Cyberattack Warning for Dealers

TOGETHER WITH

March is a time for Madness, or so we hear.

So, we started a little March Madness of our own on LinkedIn.

Some participate in setting the record straight. Which of these classic mythical cars deserves to be the top of the food chain!?

Keep Pushing Back,
-Paul, Kyle, Chris & Kristi

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AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE

ASOTU CON 2025 🤯 

Promises are free.

You can make them all day long—until you run out of breath—and no one can stop you.

But ASOTU CON 2025 isn’t about promises. It’s about proof.

For four years now, we’ve brought together the leaders, innovators, and disruptors shaping retail auto. This isn’t just a conference—it’s where ideas change hands, innovations take root, and partnerships begin.

We’re not inviting you to believe in a dream. We’re inviting you to be part of what’s already happening.

Join us this May in Baltimore. Get your ticket now.

THE NEWS

Supply Chain Attack, Used Sales Surge, and Tesla’s Resale Drop

🚨 Cyberattack Hits 100+ Dealerships

A supply chain attack has compromised over 100 dealership websites through a third-party provider (LES Automotive). The attack used ClickFix malware, tricking users into executing malicious commands. With evidence pointing to Russian hackers, dealerships must urgently review their website security to prevent further breaches.

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🔧 Audi Slashes 7,500 Jobs, Eyes U.S. Tariffs

Audi is cutting 7,500 jobs in Germany by 2029 as it restructures to stay competitive. With 25% U.S. tariffs on imports looming, the company is considering moving production to North America to offset costs.

Meanwhile, VW Group sales are struggling in China and Europe, adding more pressure. If the tariffs hit on April 2, expect higher prices on imported luxury models.

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🎭 Used Tesla Prices Plummet Faster Than Any Other Brand

Tesla resale values are dropping at three times the industry average. The Cybertruck leads the decline at -58%, while the Model 3, Y, S, and X are all seeing significant losses. Whether it’s oversupply, competition, or Musk fatigue, demand for used Teslas is dwindling—potentially creating opportunities for buyers looking for EV deals.

More On This With Paul and Kyle

Read More

Check out more on these stories and several others in our daily news digest on LinkedIn.

🥊 Quick Hits

• A first By-Wire brake system is coming soon. 🛑 

• Those stranded NASA astronauts are finally coming home! 🧑‍🚀 

• Google parent company, Alphabet, is buying Wiz for $32B in a big boost to cloud security. 🛡️

TOGETHER WITH ACTIVATOR

Your DMS is a Goldmine…But You Gotta Dig in the Right Spot!

Your DMS isn’t just a filing cabinet—it’s a treasure chest of high-intent buyers, hand-raisers, and repeat customers. The problem? Bad data, duplicate records, and spam traps are locking those opportunities away.

Activator’s new Leads & Handraisers Calculator makes it easy to see how many customers in your DMS are actually looking to buy, sell, or service—right now. Plus, with their CDP and Data Management Layer, you can clean, unify, and activate that data for smarter marketing that cuts waste and drives results.

Curious what’s hiding in your DMS? Plug in your numbers and see for yourself: Try the Calculator.

Webinar w/ Activator!

After you give the calculator a try, sign up for a 30-minute webinar with our friend Bobby Gaudreau of Activator. Trust us, it will be worth you time.

MORE THAN CARS MOMENTS

Family Nissan Steps In

A dealership made a mistake. A bad one. Somewhere in the hiring, or maybe the culture—something went wrong.

But this story isn’t about them.

This story is about what happened next.

When Family Nissan in New York heard that Makayla Starks found a racial slur on her oil change sticker—something no one should ever experience—they didn’t just shake their heads and move on. They didn’t say, “that’s not our problem.” They asked, “What can we do?”

And then someone said, “Let’s give her a car.”

Not just any car—an electric one. Because, as they put it, she never has to get an oil change again.

Good doesn’t just stay away from bad. It goes to the people who have been hurt. It doesn’t take responsibility for the wrong, but it takes responsibility for making things right.

Not because they had to. But because it was the right thing to do.

That’s More Than Cars.

🔁 Today in History

• 1831: First documented bank heist in U.S. history, when burglars stole $245,000 (1831 values) from the City Bank (now Citibank) on Wall Street. Most of the money was recovered. 🤠 

• 1918: The U.S. Congress establishes time zones and approves daylight saving time. ⏰ 

• 1999: Ford establishes Premier Automotive Group. 💶