🚗 GM Changes Its Mind & The Market

TOGETHER WITH

Retail auto is an industry worth fighting to get into.

That’s already true. The More Than Cars movement is showing people what is already true and celebrating the folks who make it so.

Tell a friend, and tell them about The Truth About Car Dealers on Prime Video, YouTube, or Tubi so they can see firsthand.

Retail auto is an industry worth fighting to join.

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

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THE UNION

From the Automotive State of the Union

Yesterday, Paul and Kyle took a long look at Tesla’s “Affordable” option (AKA a lot less car for a little more money), Ford’s efforts to bring commuting back, and the toy maker Mattel’s work with OpenAI to bring your children’s toys to life with AI movie magic.

Check out the replay above then subscribe to The Automotive State of the Union podcast on Apple or Spotify!

Also in the Headlines

GM Pulls Plug on Last-Minute EV Tax Credit Plan
GM has scrapped a program to extend $7,500 federal EV lease credits beyond their September expiration. The move, reportedly prompted by policy concerns in D.C., leaves dealers recalibrating lease offers, while Ford’s similar effort remains unclear.

Global Materials Shake-Up: From Batteries to Base Metals
Supply chains are shifting, and the ripples are real:

• Toyota & Sumitomo Advance Solid-State Battery Materials – The duo says they’ve solved key cathode durability issues, with mass production targeted by 2028 to support Toyota’s 2027–28 EV launch.

• EU Steel Tariffs Rattle Automakers – New import limits and doubled tariffs sent BMW shares sliding and raised alarm over rising costs. ACEA is urging a “better balance” between protectionism and production.

• Ford Faces $1B F-150 Supply Hit – A fire at Novelis’ New York aluminum plant could shave $1B off Ford’s bottom line and pinch F-150 supply into 2026.

Rivian CEO: Confidence Amid Chaos
RJ Scaringe says he’s “never been more confident” heading into Rivian’s R2 launch, crediting tighter execution and sharper market fit.

Opinion: BMW & Toyota’s “Not All-In” EV Strategy Looks Smart
As rivals rethink EV-only timelines, BMW and Toyota’s balanced approach is aging well. Are they pragmatists—or prophets?

TOGETHER WITH VAUTO

Stop Shuffling, Start Strategizing

Join us October 22 at 2PM ET to learn how vAuto and Modern Automotive Group built a smarter strategy for moving used cars to the right rooftops for the right reasons.

Learn how a data-driven transfers keeps inventory balanced, teams aligned, and problem cars from turning into bigger headaches.

Discover the method behind Modern’s success—save your spot today!

EVERYTHING ELSE

Quick Hits

• 🛒 Retail: The happiest place on earth isn’t tariff-proof. Disney has raised ticket prices to it’s park, just a few weeks after announced price increases on it’s streaming platform.

• 🇺🇸 Policy: China is wooing talent with special visas as the U.S. makes it more expensive to relocate to the States.

• 💪 Health: Chronic Fatigue has been detected with a blood test with over 90% accuracy.

AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE

Click to Brick to Connection

Everybody’s talking about digital transformation, but savvy dealers are taking it beyond the front door.

In this NAMAD conversation, Brian Kramer (EVP, Cars Commerce) shares how trust is the missing link between online promise and in-store delivery. Shoppers do the work online—photos, forms, appraisals—and too often have to start all over again in person. That disconnect costs confidence.

Kramer shows how tools like AccuTrade turn appraisals into walkarounds, not gotchas, adding positives (not just deductions) and making the process so simple “an 11-year-old could do it.”

Trust the data. Democratize the process. Capture 60% of trades.

Check out the full write-up here.

Today in History

• 1953: Chrysler sells the Chrysler Building in NYC. 🏢 

• 1986: The Phantom of the Opera (eventually the second longest running musical in London) opens at Her Majesty's Theatre. 🎭️ 

• 2007:The Dow Jones Industrial Average reaches its all-time high of 14,164 points before rapidly declining due to the 2008 financial crisis. 🫧 

It’s Thursday, Party People. Let’s make it fun!