🚗 Ford's Re-Forecast

TOGETHER WITH

You already know, but ASOTU loves good content and strong community.

So, it’s a fun side effect of all the good content on the ASOTU CON agenda that you can’t actually catch it all in real time.

You may need a friend. You may need to bring a teammate. You may even need to meet a stranger between sessions to compare takeaways.

What a wonderful opportunity!

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

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THE NEWS

Q1 and Beyond

🚨 Ford Yanks 2025 Guidance as Tariffs Take a $1.5B Bite

Trump’s tariffs are torching profits, and Ford’s waving the white flag.

Ford just scrapped its full-year forecast after Q1 profits tanked 65%. The culprit? A fresh $1.5B gut punch from Trump’s auto import taxes. Ford’s trying to play tariff Tetris with some clever logistics, but with EVs still bleeding cash and production downtime dragging, the math ain’t mathing. Expect rising prices and a rocky road ahead.

🔌 Hyundai Goes Full Tesla on Charging

Hyundai’s saying “hold my charging cable” with slick updates that make Ioniq EVs charge like Teslas. The app now taps into Tesla Superchargers and more, and adds plug-and-charge functionality. No more app-juggling. No more card reader roulette. Just plug in and vibe.

🚇 Rivian Builds a Tunnel to Efficiency

Rivian’s spending $120M to build a supplier park next to their Illinois plant, with parts traveling through an underground tunnel (yes, really). It’s all prep for the 2026 launch of their smaller R2 SUV. More jobs. Less logistics drama. Big bat-cave vibes.

🛠️ J.D. Power: Dealers Still Win on Trust

Satisfaction’s up at tire shops and oil changers, but customers still trust dealers more—especially when tech and complex repairs are involved. Pro tip: photo/video MPIs boost RO acceptance big time. And snacks? Apparently, they matter. A lot.

🐎 Ferrari’s Tariff-Fueled Price Hike

Ferrari’s Q1 was spicy (+17% profit), but tariffs are lurking. They’ve already bumped U.S. prices 10%, adding up to $50K per car. Guess that’s the price of “exclusivity” in 2025.

➕ More

There’s more where these came from on LinkedIn. Check it out, and drop us a comment with your thoughts—what news is most impacting your business these days?

🥊 Quick Hits

• As of today, certain standard driver’s licenses and other identification cards will no longer meet federal standards to fly within the U.S. 🪪

• The U.S. Federal Trade Commission says they will begin cracking down on hidden fees for live events, hotels, and short-term rentals starting May 12th. 🚫

• According to a recent Redfin report, homebuyers today need to earn $50,000 more a year than renters to afford their monthly housing payments. 💸 

TOGETHER WITH UPSTART

Smarter Everyday With Upstart

Upstart Auto Finance equips dealership F&I teams with AI-driven credit decisions that analyze thousands of data points for instant soft-pull approvals. Dealers can present terms up to 84 months and 185% LTV, while Upstart’s digital retail flow delivers high-intent leads into the financing funnel and funds deals in as little as 24 hours.

The Upstart team will be at ASOTU CON 2025—visit their booth #R20 to see how smarter financing turns browsers into buyers and boosts back-end profit.

And don’t miss their breakout, “Maximizing profits with AI.” You’ll get the inside scoop on how top dealers increase profits, sell more cars and turn more online leads into closed deals.

Curious? Check them out.

MORE THAN CARS MOMENTS

Refreshingly Human

“Automotive Technicians are hard to find—and sometimes even harder to keep.”

That’s how Todd Caputo kicked off a recent LinkedIn post that caught our eye—and for good reason. He shared photos from Dan King, Partner at Leadcar Honda in Yorkville, NY, spotlighting a refreshingly human approach to recognizing fixed ops teams.

Here’s what they’re doing: each technician and advisor has a large, professional banner hanging from the shop ceiling. Each one features a name, photo, and start date—turning a typically utilitarian space into a gallery of pride and appreciation.

It’s a simple move, but an incredibly smart one. As Todd pointed out, it’s a daily reminder to the team that their work matters and their presence is valued. And it does something else, too—it helps put customers at ease by showing the faces and stories behind the wrenches and clipboards.

In a business where technician turnover is an ongoing challenge, these “little things” go a long way. Culture isn’t built in big speeches—it’s in visible, meaningful gestures like this.

Shoutout to Dan, the Leadcar team, and to Todd for sharing what leadership in the lane really looks like.

AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE

Fewer Buyers. Higher Costs. Big Headwinds.

Learn how dealers are using video to do more with less and turn every lead into a real opportunity.

In today’s market, every lead matters more than ever. With fewer buyers visiting dealerships, rising acquisition costs, and growing economic uncertainty (think: interest rates, tariffs, and tightening demand), dealerships are being challenged to do more with less.

That’s where video comes in. Join Covideo VP of Marketing, Margaret Henney, and Darrell Perry, SVP & GM at Vorderman Volkswagen, as they break down how modern dealerships are using personalized video to increase appointment rates, reduce friction, and accelerate the sales cycle.

You’ll get practical shortcuts, proven scripts, and actionable strategies that you can use immediately to make video your unfair advantage.

RSVP now!

🔁 Today in History

• 1718: The city of New Orleans is founded by French explorer, Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville. ⚜️

• 1789: The first U.S. Presidential inaugural ball is held for George Washington. 🪩

• 1867: Swedish chemist, Alfred Nobel, patents dynamite in England. 🧨