🚗 Ending the Year with Data

🚙 Honda Hybrid, Tesla Computer Issues, and CA's Court Win

December 18, 2024

TOGETHER WITH

Welcome to Wednesday, Friend!

We’ve got a webinar later today, Year-end of Extravaganza tomorrow, and Christmas will be here before you know it.

Stay ready for what’s coming, but don’t miss what’s here. Enjoy your Wednesday.

Keep Pushing Back
-Paul, Kyle, Chris & Kristi

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Today's Email

ASOTU’S YEAR END EXTRAVAGANZA

🎄 TOMORROW!

Join us Thursday, December 19th, for our 4th Annual Year End Extravaganza  

Think of it as the perfect blend of celebration, reflection, and a few surprises you didn’t see coming (we’re looking at you, overly enthusiastic industry predictions).

🗺️ Honda Hybrids, CA Challenges, and Waymo's Tokyo Expansion

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Honda’s Prelude is back after two decades, this time as a hybrid with new S+ Shift tech to make driving fun and efficient. Tesla, on the other hand, is hitting bumps—its self-driving HW4 computers are failing on brand-new cars, leaving service centers swamped. Lamborghini’s delaying its first EV to 2029, saying the market isn’t ready yet, while France slashed EV subsidies and cut off e-bikes completely, leaving small manufacturers reeling. Toyota’s $10K Hilux pickup got a quirky seven-seat SUV makeover for Indonesia—practical, affordable, and unlikely to land here anytime soon.

Closer to home, California held its clean air rules in court, but with Trump eyeing a rollback, the fight isn’t over. Meanwhile, Waymo heads to Tokyo for its first international robotaxi tests, and German automakers brace for U.S. tariffs that could upend their supply chains. Between hybrids, trade chaos, and EV pricing wars, there’s plenty to keep dealers on their toes.

Read more on these stories and more a @ Daily.ASOTU.com

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👀 End of Year Insights from Cox Automotive

Tenor

Cox Automotive’s latest studies and forecasts cut through the noise with insights dealers need as we wrap up 2024 and head into 2025.

Here’s what they say is holding business back, what’s moving off the lot, and where things are headed.

Cox Automotive

Challenges are still on the lot, but there’s a shift in what’s keeping dealers up at night:

  • Interest Rates Still Sting — High borrowing costs remain the top concern, but with rate cuts expected next year, relief could finally be around the corner.

  • Economic Jitters — 56% of dealers cite the economy as their biggest headache, though consumer confidence is showing signs of life heading into 2025.

  • Political Worries Significantly Dip — With the 2024 election in the rearview, the political climate has fallen out of the top three concerns.

Affordability is driving buyer behavior, and savvy dealers are leaning into these trends:

  • Small but Mighty — Smaller vehicles are the clear MVPs, with average MSRPs at $33,570—making them an easier sell for budget-conscious buyers.

  • Leasing Gains Steam — Up 19% year-over-year, leasing is back in play as shoppers seek relief from high monthly payments.

  • Hybrids Are the Sweet Spot — Hybrid sales jumped 26%, offering the value buyers want without the range anxiety of BEVs.

Cox Automotive

Cox suggest dealers prepare for cautious growth with a few tailwinds working in their favor:

  • New Car Sales Climb — Sales are projected to hit 16.3M, up 2.2%, while used retail sales are expected to reach 20.1M.

  • Hybrids Continue to Shine — EVs will hit 10% market share, but hybrids will likely remain the standout performers.

  • Rates Ease Up — Lower interest rates will help bring hesitant buyers back into the market, making financing conversations easier at the desk.

AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE

🗓️ Coming Soon

⚜️ January 23-26th, 2025 — NADA Show in New Orleans

  • Psst…

    • Are you planning a party for NADA and want more people to know?

    • Are you looking for a party at NADA?

    • OR, would you like to party with ASOTU at NADA?

🦀 May 13-16th, 2025 — ASOTU CON in Baltimore, Maryland

🥊 Quick Hits: Slumps, Folds, and Spin

  • U.S. factory activity slumps further in December as tariffs loom. 🏭️ 

  • Apple moves toward foldable devices. 🍎 

  • Physicists uncover new state of matter called quantum spin liquid. 🧑‍🔬 

🔁 Today in History: First, Fast, and Last

  • 1777: The United States celebrates its first Thanksgiving, marking the recent victory by the American rebels over British General John Burgoyne at Saratoga in October. 🦃 

  • 1898: The first automobile land speed record is set. ⏩️ 

  • 2009: GM announces it will shut down Saab. 🔚 

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