TOGETHER WITH:
Howdy, Fam!
Fly-in, fly-out, one day, November 18 in LA. 200 seats, and pre-release access already moved before the public sale even opened.
Full details, agenda, and speakers at asotuconwest.com.
Also in Today's email...
GM reversed course on CarPlay, and it's now sitting out the hybrid boom too. Two signals about the same company, worth reading together.
What the FTC's new price-advertising FAQ actually requires, and the meeting you should schedule today because of it
Three quick reads: the Fed's rate hike, Kia's $15K EV9 discounts, and McLaren's £500M UK investment
Wayve's bet on licensing self-driving tech instead of building cars, and a $2,500 racing kart Toyota built for families
Keep Pushing Back,
—Chris with Paul, Kyle & Kristi
First-time reader? Subscribe Here!
GM Is Reversing One Bet and Losing Another
Two GM stories broke this week, and neither one is flattering on its own. Together, they're a pattern.
The Reversal: CarPlay Is Coming Back
GM announced in 2023 it would phase Apple CarPlay and Android Auto out of its EVs, then said last year the plan would extend across the whole lineup. Now the 2027 Silverado and Sierra debut a new system that brings both back, running in a smaller card alongside GM's native interface rather than replacing it.
The numbers explain the about-face:
Group | Called Losing the Feature a Dealbreaker |
|---|---|
CarPlay users | 55% |
Android Auto users | 36% |
GM owners specifically | 42% |
That last number should have mattered most internally. Nearly half of GM's own customers said this was a reason to walk.
The Miss: Hybrids Are Selling, and GM Doesn't Have One
Back in 2019, Mary Barra called hybrids an "interim solution" and said customers "generally aren't interested." GM bet on EVs instead. Now hybrids make up 19% of US retail sales, up from 16% before gas prices spiked, and GM's only hybrid on sale is the Corvette. Supplier sources don't expect a real hybrid from GM until near the end of the decade.
Florida dealer Bill Wallace runs 16 stores across several brands. His non-GM stores field hybrid questions constantly. His Chevrolet and Cadillac stores don't have much to offer.
"There's no question that they're losing market share," Wallace said.
The share numbers back him up: GM's US share fell to 16.8% in the first half of 2026, down from 17.6%, while hybrid-heavy Toyota and Honda both gained.
What Connects These Two Stories
GM made a confident, forward-looking bet in both cases, on removing CarPlay and on skipping straight to EVs, and reality didn't cooperate with either one. CarPlay was fixable with a software update once GM admitted the miss. The hybrid gap isn't fixable that fast. It requires actual product GM doesn't have yet.
AND THE FINAL PRICE IS…
It should not be a surprise revealed at the end.
The FTC’s new pricing FAQs provide dealers with more detail on advertised vehicle prices, mandatory charges, and optional products.
See what the new guidance means for dealership pricing, F&I, and products already installed on the vehicle.
The FTC Just Told Dealers Exactly What "Price" Has to Mean
The FTC published a full FAQ document on Sept. 15, following the warning letters that went out to 97 dealership groups back in March. This isn't new law, but it's the clearest the agency has ever been about how existing law applies to a car ad.
What has to be built into the price
Any dealer-required fee including doc fees and leasing fees, the full mandatory fee even if some customers get a discounted version, and the price any consumer can actually walk in and pay.
What can stay out
Government-required taxes the consumer pays directly, and state-required doc fee disclosures that run alongside this rule without replacing it.
The rule applies everywhere you advertise, from your website to a text message from a salesperson, and liability isn't limited to the dealership. Third-party advertisers and OEMs share responsibility if they control the ad.
The FTC's own words on timing: this has always been the rule. There is no grace period.
Consider this
Pull the FAQ and walk it line by line with everyone who touches a price before it reaches a customer, sales, marketing, your ad vendors, and anyone on your team who posts about pricing on social media.
The Fed Just Raised Rates for the First Time Since 2023
A quarter-point hike brings the federal funds rate to 3.75-4%, with another increase already flagged before year-end. New-vehicle borrowers financed an average of $44,658 in August, up 4.6% from a year earlier. Nearly 4 in 10 dealers already called interest rates a challenge in Cox's Q3 sentiment survey.
Get ahead of the "why did my rate just go up" conversation before your customer brings it to you.
Kia Is Discounting the EV9 by Up to $15,000
Kia's three-row EV is outperforming most electric competitors this year, up 12% even after the federal tax credit expired.
Kia's site offers $10,000 off nationwide, but some dealers are stacking deeper cuts, bringing a $56,735 EV9 down near $40,500. Live conversation starter for anyone cross-shopping a three-row.
McLaren Just Landed £500 Million and Confirmed Its First SUV
The investment comes from an Abu Dhabi sovereign fund and expands UK manufacturing, with two new in-house engines and transmissions on the way. Separately, the Artura is reportedly getting discontinued by 2028 in favor of a new twin-turbo V-6 hybrid supercar.
Low relevance if you don't carry the brand, but a signal of where low-volume exotics are headed.
🚘 Car Stuff
Tesla has until September 30th to explain how their pedal-less Cybercab complies with federal regulations that still require them. 🚕
Volkswagen is adding more driver-assist features to 2027 models including automatic lane changes rear pedestrian detection and smoother adaptive cruise control. ⚠️
NYC is installing 700 curbside chargers across all five boroughs as the city moves to make street parking more friendly for EVs. 🔋
💰 Not Car Stuff
Congress is taking aim at Flock cameras by threatening transportation funding for states that allow broader license plate tracking. 📸
Americans are getting a lot more worried about AI’s environmental impact with concern jumping from 41% to 53% in just one year. 😥
Apple TV and HBO walked away with major Emmy wins in a night led by Widow’s Bay and The Pitt. 📺
1683: Dutch scientist Antonie van Leeuwenhoek is the first to report the existence of bacteria. 🦠
1787: The U.S. Constitution is signed by delegates at the Philadelphia Convention. 📜
2013: The video game Grand Theft Auto V earns more than half a billion dollars on its first day of release. 🚓
Thanks for reading, Friend! See you In November!
