- ASOTU Daily Pushback
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- 🚗 Demand Rising, Supply Sliding
🚗 Demand Rising, Supply Sliding
🚙 Final Day of NAMAD, New Car Inventory, and the DVL Award Winners
TOGETHER WITH
Happy Friday, Friend!
We’re still reeling from an amazing week in Vegas for NAMAD 2025!
Thank you to everyone who showed up to share, support, and push the conversation forward.
We are proud to share this community with you.
Keep Pushing Back,
-Paul, Kyle, Chris & Kristi
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Reading time: 3 min and 39 sec
From the Automotive State of the Union
Dealers Want Tech—But the Right Kind
On the final day of the NAMAD Annual Meeting, Paul and Erroll hear the same theme from every corner of the floor: tech is top of mind—but overwhelming. Dealers aren’t asking if they need AI, automation, or new platforms. They’re asking what, when, and how to make it all actually work.
Shane Wilson Keeps It Grounded
Connected Dealer Services CEO Shane Wilson joins the show to remind everyone: tech is only as useful as the data it runs on. With real-time odometer reads and billions of data points flowing through their platform, Shane’s fired up about unlocking real fixed ops wins.
From The News w/ ASOTU
Click to read the full digest.
Demand Is Out-Pacing Supply
New car inventory slipped 4% in July, the lowest since February. Domestic brands pulled back on production while Toyota, Kia, and Lexus added more affordable and in-demand models. The mix on lots is shifting fast, and dealers who adapt quickly to local demand will be best positioned to capture frustrated buyers.
VW Bets Big on AI
Volkswagen renewed its partnership with Amazon Web Services to roll out new machine learning tools across 43 plants. The upgrades are designed to simplify production, cut costs, and save millions. Smarter factories mean steadier pipelines and fewer surprises on the ground.
Also in today’s Digest:
GM’s first EVs with NACS ports arrive this Fall
Dreame, the vacuum company, says it will build the world’s fastest car
🥊 Quick Hits
Ford announced a new exhibit called “American Icon: A Mustang Immersive Experience” kicking off in LA next month. 🐎
Will Smith is getting dragged for allegedly using AI to alter video of his recent European tour. 🤥
Robot rabbits are being used in Florida to battle invasive Burmese pythons in Everglades. 🐍
The F&I Product That Brings Them Back
Imagine your customers feeling like George Kittle going back to the Super Bowl — fired up to be back.
That’s the kind of loyalty CarRx drives. With proactive, vehicle-specific maintenance reminders, customers are eager to return to your service drive — not just the nearest dealership.
And it’s not only about retention. CarRx delivers $1,200 PVR with 90% penetration rates in finance at top dealerships, while extending customer lifetime value far beyond the first deal. In fact, customers who service with you are 76x more likely to purchase their next vehicle from your store.
The best F&I products don’t just win once. They win every time your customer comes back.
SOMETHING ELSE
Recognizing the Cars Driving the Future Majority
At this year’s Diversity Volume Leadership (DVL) Awards, one message was clear: the “Future Majority” is already reshaping the automotive market. With minorities projected to make up the majority of the U.S. population by 2045, their vehicle ownership trends are already leading the way.
The DVL Awards celebrate manufacturers and models that resonate with African American, Asian American, and Hispanic American buyers. S&P’s Marc Bland called on the industry to meet this growing audience with inclusive strategies and authentic connection.
Key 2025 Winners:
Toyota RAV4 — Winner of the Top Overall Future Majority Vehicle
Lexus RX — Winner of the Top Overall Future Majority Luxury Vehicle
Toyota Camry — Top Non-Luxury Hybrid and Mid-Size Car winner
Honda Civic — Compact Car category winner
Chevrolet Silverado — Full-Size Half-Ton Pickup DVL winner
Ford F-Series — Overall sales winner and Full-Size ¾ to 1-Ton Pickup winner
These awards aren’t just about volume. They’re about vision, representation, and the people powering the future of auto.
AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE
David Thomas of CDK Global has spent decades shaping how consumers understand and experience buying a car—from the early days of Autoblog to his current role unpacking research at CDK Global.
In this episode, David joins Michael and Paul to talk about the hidden frictions of automotive retail and the disconnects that most dealers don’t even know they have.
🔁 Today in History
1831: Michael Faraday demonstrates the first electric transformer. ⚡️
1838: Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm announce their intention to publish a German Dictionary, eventually completed in 1961 after 123 years. 🔠
1862: The U.S. Department of the Treasury forms the division now known as the US Bureau of Engraving and Printing to print newly issued paper currency. 💵
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