📀 Data Now And Later

TOGETHER WITH

In case you missed it, we dropped a fancy little referral shenanigans opportunity earlier this week! All you have to do is share this email with some friends with a unique referral link we dropped right below the first story. This week the prize to the most referrals is a ticket to our Live Tonight show in Atlanta in June!

Keep Pushing Back-Paul, Kyle, & Chris

DEALERS

CMA’s Valley Subaru Supports Families Facing Transportation Troubles

CMA’s Valley Subaru recently participated in Subaru’s 15th annual Share the Love event and selected Giving Words of Virginia as their nonprofit of choice.

Their efforts resulted in a hefty $27,000 donation, the largest ever received by Giving Words, a non-profit organization that helps struggling parents overcome transportation challenges.

Scott Simons, Managing Partner of CMA’s Valley Dealerships, said, "It’s an honor for us to represent a brand that cares about the community and cares about these nonprofits. To be able to give an organization like that a check for $27,000 is gonna impact a lot of lives, so it’s a very exciting day for us."

As of January, Giving Words has already helped over 100 single parents with car services, and with this ample donation, they will be able to help many, many more families in need.

Telling it like it is - What a dreamy partnership — two companies invested in the same mission: helping others get on the road. 💕

AUTOMOTIVE

Measuring April And Batteries

According to Cox Automotive's Auto Market Report, the market is doing market things. Let's look:

• Consumer Sentiment is up 3.4% in April but still near a record low.

• Used sales were down 8% year over year (YOY) and 1% week over week (WOW), but new sales were up 13% YOY and flat WOW.

• New supply is up 18 days YOY, but down three from March. Used dropped seven days YOY, but is unchanged compared to March.

• Retail prices increased by 0.4%, while wholesale prices decreased by 0.2%

• Kelley Blue Book and Auto Trader leads are down, but completed service appointments are up.

Speaking of looking for more used inventory... As EVs enter the used market more frequently, shoppers and dealers alike are learning how to determine the value of these massive batteries on wheels.

JD Power and Morotq have partnered to produce the world's first real-world data-backed EV battery health measurements. By collaborating with automakers, measurements will compare real-world vehicle data to stated health when new.

Of course, the process will have broader uses than used inventory appraisal. Questions about the real-world range of EV batteries have been around as long as the first one buzzed onto the scene. The collaboration will help brands accurately advertise an EV's range with some peer-reviewed data to back up the claims.

Telling it like it is - Knowing more about right now is essential and knowing more about the future is almost a superpower. What are your thoughts on adding EV’s to your used inventory?

TOGETHER WITH DMSC

Let's Play!

Most games are only as fun as the people you play with.

Take your game to a new level with authentic connections and new skills at the Digital Marketing Strategies Conference next month. The industry-leading, dealer-inspired conference is a must for industry experts, leaders, students, and fresh faces alike!

From May 23-25th in Austin, Texas, DMSC will be a one-stop-shop for cutting-edge automotive tech, strategies, and training. Plus, the bonus GA4 training day will prime you with everything you need for analytics mastery.

With a relaxed, intimate atmosphere and plenty of networking opportunities, don’t miss this pivotal stop on the road to dealership dominance - register for DMSC today!

AUTOMOTIVE

Quick Bites: Robotaxis, Partnerships, E-Go-Carts, and Separations

🧑‍⚕️🐂🤖 

Like a plastic surgeon with a Red Bull addiction, GM's Cruise autonomous robotaxis have been cleared to operate 24 hours a day in San Francisco. The public can only use the service after dark, but Cruise employees can call for rides in almost any part of the city at any time of the day.

💪🚙💸

GM's work with Honda is also picking up steam... and bulk. The partnership has two vehicles planned for 2024 but announced a larger, more Honda-y ride in 2025. While the Prologue and the Acura ZDX use GM's Ultium platform, the new SUV will use a Honda original platform. The collaboration says they are targeting several affordability-focused models from 2027.  

🚜🔋📈 

Honda isn't only thinking big - quite the contrary, actually. An electric go-kart shows off the Japanese brand's easy-swap battery system for small engines. The company says it will move toward electrification in mowers and generators as it continues toward carbon neutrality by 2050.

🚫💰🤷‍♂️ 

Stellantis is looking to promote a couple people to the esteemed role of "customer." The company announced Wednesday they are offering 31K hourly and about 2,500 salaried workers to take voluntary separation packages. COO Mark Stewart did not reveal how many jobs it was looking to cut but said it is clear the company "must become more efficient."  

TL; DR -- Robotaxis lose some time limitations, Honda and GM have BIG things planned, Honda also has small things planned, Stellantis announced voluntary layoffs.

CULTURE

Fit Check

No need to adjust your monitor’s resolution, you’re just looking at LOEWE's Spring/Summer 2023 capsule collection, Pixel.

These 8-bit-inspired pieces blur the line between retro and digital with a range of garments and accessories, including t-shirts, sweaters, baggy jeans, skirts, and purses. If you consider Minecraft the pinnacle of fashion, then these glitchy goodies are for you! 

Pharrell Williams and Adidas Originals are kicking off Spring with a vibrant new Samba collection featuring six bold, monochromatic colorways.

Round two of the sneaker collab, aptly titled Humanrace, features a bright color scheme intended to echo the vast diversity of people and preferences.

Shoe enthusiasts are already predicting these colorful clogs will sell out quickly once they launch globally on May 6th, so you just may have to stay up all night to get lucky. 

Fashion designer Tom Ford is bidding a fond farewell to his namesake label with a final women's ready-to-wear line for Fall 2023.

The collection is a celebration of his brand's history and includes reproductions of some of his favorite archival pieces.

Ford sold his brand to Estée Lauder for $2.3B in November 2022, and though a successor has yet to be announced, plenty of rumors have been swirling. One thing's for sure: Ford's influence on fashion will have a legacy that will last long after his Bronson sunglasses have been retired.

Telling it like it is - Fancy or playful, colorful or muted, trendy or classic. No matter your fashion taste here, you can rest assured that it’s all equally as expensive.

Quick Hits

• DJI’s newest drone, the Mavic 3 Pro, features the brand’s first triple-camera setup. 📸 

• Colorful 70-foot robots are keeping the vibes in check at this year’s Coachella. 🤖

• UK regulators seek to block Microsoft’s $69B takeover bid for the gaming platform, Activision Blizzard. 🎮 

History

• 1936: The United Auto Workers (UAW) gains autonomy from the American Federation of Labor.

• 1954: The movie White Christmas featuring the songs of Irving Berlin, including the title song “White Christmas,” starring Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye, opens at Radio City Music Hall.

• 2009: GM announces the end of Pontiac.