TOGETHER WITH:
Howdy, Fam!
Different companies got asked the same question, how close is too close to China, and answered in different ways.
Ford's defending its partnerships. GM's building around them. And the White House just said it's fine either way, right before automakers asked Congress to ban the whole idea.
Today's email has...
Ford, GM, and Trump answering the China question in three different ways
A dealer sentiment score that dropped, paired with a credit number that should worry you more
Why Amazon needs your inventory, and why China might not
A few quick hits, including $6 diesel and a Ford EV battery that made it 234,000 miles
Keep Pushing Back,
Chris with Paul, Kyle & Kristi
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Ford's China Fight Just Got a Lot More Complicated
Ford CEO Jim Farley spent last week publicly rejecting Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy's claim that Ford is too entangled with Chinese companies, over a Michigan battery plant licensing CATL technology and a Spanish plant building Geely vehicles for Europe. Farley called it a "basic misunderstanding" that a five-minute call could fix.
Then Trump muddied the water further, and not in the direction Ford's critics expected.
On Friday, he told Fox News he'd be okay with Chinese automakers building cars in the US, so long as they hire American workers, directly ahead of a meeting with Xi Jinping in two weeks. Three companies are now answering the same underlying question in three different ways:
Ford is defending its Chinese partnerships as smart engineering, not dependency
GM, per CNBC, is pushing further into its own domestic battery development instead, a hedge against the exact political exposure Ford is currently absorbing
The White House just signaled openness to the very thing automakers spent last week asking Congress to ban
Nobody in Washington or Detroit agrees on how close is too close to China right now.
Meet the Main Stage Speakers
There’s already plenty of magic in Orlando, but NADA Show 2027 is the only one bringing Magic Johnson directly to the Main Stage.
This year’s lineup gives dealers three mornings with people who know a few things about winning teams, smart plays, and keeping momentum when the pressure is on.
Ryan Estis tips things off Thursday with a focus on sales and leadership. Patrick Lencioni takes the stage Friday with practical insight on teamwork and organizational health. Then Saturday, Magic Johnson steps into the spotlight to share lessons from a career that spans championship basketball, entrepreneurship, activism and business leadership.
It's a lineup designed to leave dealers sharper, more energized, and ready to lead what comes next.
Don’t miss all the Main Stage magic save your seat for NADA Show 2027.
Dealer Sentiment Slipped in Q3. A Second Data Point Should Worry You More.
Franchised dealers rated Q3 a 49, down from 53 the quarter before, even as actual sales showed momentum. Cox pointed to affordability pressure pushing customers toward cheaper, lower-margin vehicles that don't feel like wins even when they close.
Now look at what's happening on the credit side at the same time:
Metric | August 2026 | Direction |
|---|---|---|
Credit Availability Index | 105.3 | Highest since Nov. 2015 |
Loans with terms over 72 months | 31.3% | Record high |
Negative equity share | 57.4% | Highest since April |
Average down payment | 13% | Lowest since Oct. 2022 |
Credit access is loosening through riskier structures, not lower rates.
Consider this today
A rising credit index and a falling sentiment score aren't contradictory. They're describing the same customer, stretched thinner to afford the same payment.
Amazon Still Needs Your Inventory. China Isn't Waiting to Find Out If It Does Too.
We covered how LaFontaine Automotive Group made Amazon Autos work because the platform still depends entirely on dealer inventory and fulfillment. That "we need you" dynamic doesn't extend to every new entrant eyeing this market.
Dealers and Consumers Read Chinese Automakers Very Differently
A new Automotive News survey found 60% of dealers are concerned about Chinese automakers entering the US, even as about half of consumers say they'd consider buying one, a number that jumps to 77% among buyers under 35.
Meanwhile, BYD isn't waiting on a policy decision to prepare.
The automaker just ordered 10 more of the world's largest car carriers, growing its fleet to 18 ships capable of hauling more than 130,000 vehicles combined, as its exports surge 90% year over year. That's not a company hedging on access. That's a company building capacity for the day the door opens.
So, when that door opens, whose inventory problem does it become first: yours, or theirs?
🚘 Car Stuff
Diesel Hits $6 a Gallon for the First Time Ever The national average crossed $6.0556, up 14% in a month and over 60% year over year, adding fresh inflation pressure across shipping and freight.
A Ford F-150 Lightning Hit 234,000 Miles Before Needing a New Battery One module had a 317-millivolt cell imbalance after years of hard use, a solid real-world data point in the EV longevity debate.
💰 Not Car Stuff
Hungarian Gravediggers Compete for Speed and Style Nineteen two-man teams battled dry summer soil at a cemetery contest in Nyergesújfalu, digging graves to exact specifications. The winning team finished in 1 hour, 21 minutes, splitting a $640 prize.
Christian Bale Opens an 11,000-Square-Foot Foster Care Village The actor's Together California facility in Palmdale keeps siblings together in the foster system, with 12 furnished homes. Residents begin moving in next month.
1920: Henry Leland, founder of the Lincoln Motor Company, introduces the Lincoln "L" series, launching the brand that would go on to define American luxury for the next century.
1960: The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is founded at the Baghdad Conference, with Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela as founding members. Its influence on gas prices would reshape the auto industry for decades.
1978: Philip Caldwell is elected president of Ford Motor Company, going on to become the first person outside the Ford family to serve as chairman and CEO, steering the company through its 1980s turnaround.
Thanks for reading, Friend!
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