🚗 Honda and Nissan Announce Merger

TOGETHER WITH

Merry Christmas Eve, Friend!

We love celebrating the big “Love people more than cars” moments in our industry. But today, we want to shine a light on those of you holding down the fort while so many across the country have called it a week.

Because of your dedication, families can travel safer and more confidently, knowing that—no matter where they are—friendly faces and skilled hands will be there to help if something goes wrong.

You’re keeping this country running, and keeping Christmas a time of goodness and peace. We’re grateful for your More Than Cars mindset, and we love celebrating it every chance we get (yes, even on Tubi now 😆).

Thank you for making a difference every day.

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

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BUSINESS

🌏 Honda and Nissan Announce Merger Plans, VW and the Union Make Peace, and California Is Still Talking 2035

🚗 Honda and Nissan Make It Official

After a good deal of speculation, Honda and Nissan confirmed plans to merge by 2026, creating the world’s third-largest auto group. With bold sales targets and a focus on electrification, the alliance is a direct response to growing competition from Tesla and BYD. Mitsubishi might even join the mix. Is this a power move or a desperate pivot?

✌️ VW and the Union Find Common Ground

Volkswagen’s 'Zukunft' agreement balances job cuts and cost savings with a commitment to German production. By trimming 35,000 jobs and cutting capacity by 734,000 units, VW aims to save €15 billion annually while future-proofing itself as a tech leader. A peaceful truce—or a ticking time bomb?

🌱 California’s EV Dream: Too Far Out?

California’s 2035 EV mandate sets lofty goals, but the gap between vision and reality is wide. With gas-powered vehicles still dominating and infrastructure development lagging, the state’s zero-emission future feels far off. Are they driving progress or just stuck in neutral?

Want more? We’ve got these stories and others in our Daily Digest here.

TOGETHER WITH WOCAN

🎄 A Legacy of Leadership

Some gifts change lives.

To honor the Bob Ross Automotive Group’s incredible 50-year legacy, WOCAN and Cars Commerce are awarding eight $2,500 scholarships to minority women in auto retail. The WOCAN-Bob Ross Legacy Scholarship is about more than attending an industry event; it’s about investing in future leaders.

Jenell Ross, who continues her father’s legacy, says it best: supporting careers now shapes the industry tomorrow.

If you—or someone you know—could use this opportunity to grow, apply, or share. Great things happen when we lift each other up.

Hurry, the deadline is quickly approaching—apply for the WOCAN Scholarship here!

DATA & INSIGHT

🚘 Record-Breaking Holiday Travel

The 2024 holiday season is breaking records, with AAA projecting 119.3M Americans traveling 50 miles or more between December 21 and January 1.

That’s 3M more than last year and just enough to surpass 2019’s pre-pandemic peak. Whether by car, plane, or even cruise ship, Americans are determined to close out the year on the move.

Road trips remain the go-to, with 107M people driving to their destinations. Gas prices are down, and flexibility is key for many travelers. Meanwhile, air travel hits a high with 7.85M passengers, despite pricier tickets. Cruises and other transit modes are having their best year in two decades, showing that holiday wanderlust knows no bounds.

Driving today? Brace for some of the season’s worst traffic. Stay alert, plan breaks, and maybe pack an extra dose of patience—we hear holiday memories are worth the journey!

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?

    • Check out NADAParties.com 

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

🥊 Quick Hits

• The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear TikTok’s legal challenge to their platform ban. ⚖️

• New York, Philadelphia and St. Louis have become the latest cities facing a Starbucks strike. 🪧

• Echoing recent moves by fellow retailers like Big Lots and Party City, the Container Store has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. 😥

🔁 Today in History

• 1826: The Eggnog Riot begins at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, NY after cadets got a little carried away on eggnog spiked with smuggled whiskey. 🥃

• 1955: NORAD (the North American Aerospace Defense) begins tracking Santa Claus as he delivers presents. The tradition started after a printing error in a Sears catalog instructed children to call Santa Claus, but the number actually connected to the Colorado Springs' Continental Air Defense (CONAD). 🎅🏻

• 1968: Orbiting the moon, the Apollo 8 astronauts read passages from the Old Testament Book of Genesis during a Christmas Eve telecast. 🧑‍🚀

Thanks for reading, friend! Have a blessed holiday and 20X more in the new year.