🚗 Inventory Playing Hardball

TOGETHER WITH

Welcome to Friday, Friend!

Some days, the only way through is to lean in and tell yourself you love it. The hard parts, the weird parts, the wear-you-thin parts.

Do it enough, and it stops feeling like a fight, and starts feeling like momentum.

That’s where things get interesting.

What’s the biggest challenge you’re ready to tackle in 2026?

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

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THE UNION

From the Automotive State of the Union

New‑Car Inventory Is Tight and Weird

November brought a small overall dip in new‑vehicle inventory, but the real story is on price and type.

Cars under $25K are disappearing faster than a parking spot at a Black Friday sale, spending less than 36 hours on dealer lots.

At the same time EV supply keeps growing, now sitting at about four months’ worth of inventory while hybrids and gas cars hold more typical levels.

If you’ve got sub‑$25K units, they probably aren’t sticking around for long.

Nissan Wants Its Groove Back

Christian Meunier isn’t sugarcoating things. He says Nissan lost its direction and now needs sharper execution, stronger products, and better dealer performance to get back on track.

Sales are down about 40% over the last decade, market share sits near 6.4%, and discounting has trained people to think of Nissan as the bargain brand.

Meunier brought HQ staff back into the office to speed decisions, build momentum, and hopefully, grow more retail share.

Target Hits the Gas on AI Commerce

Target is jumping ahead of the pack by embedding its shopping experience right into ChatGPT.

Soon users will be able to search, add items to cart, and check out entirely through the chat interface using their Target accounts.

TOGETHER WITH NADA

Ready? Set? Let’s Go!

The NADA Welcome Reception is where the Show drops the green flag.

Guests can try karting on part of the Strip Circuit, experience next-level simulators, enjoy a walk through F1 history filled with classic memorabilia, and take on pitstop challenges that bring out everyone’s competitive streak. 

Pair all of that good fun with good food, good drinks and good company — and there’s truly something for everyone to enjoy!

Entry is included for member dealers, managers, affiliates and registered guests. Others can purchase tickets at NADA registration or onsite at Grand Prix Plaza.

Ready to start NADA Show 2026 in the fast lane? Grab a ticket and get going!

From The News w/ ASOTU

New Cars Lingering Too Long

An iSeeCars study of more than 2.6M new-car listings shows some dealers are still buried in leftover 2024 inventory. Dodge, Jeep, and Alfa Romeo dominate the list, with models like the Hornet PHEV and Grand Cherokee lingering far longer than the rest of the market.

High prices, thin discounts, and minimal separation from newer model years are slowing everything down. The problem is already creeping into early 2025 inventory as well.

When supply overshoots demand this badly, aggressive pricing and clear positioning stop being optional and start being the only way out.

Tesla Under Pressure

Tesla’s U.S. sales fell nearly 23% in November, sliding to their lowest level in almost four years. That drop came even after the brand rolled out cheaper “Standard” versions of the Model 3 and Model Y to fill the gap left by the expired federal tax credit.

The problem is timing and tradeoffs. Demand didn’t bounce the way Tesla hoped, and the lower-priced trims are pulling shoppers away from higher-margin versions instead of expanding the pool.

To keep metal moving, Tesla has gone all-in on incentives: 0% financing, $0-down leases, free upgrades, and heavy emphasis on immediate delivery as year-end closes in.

Fewer EVs, Fewer Batteries

Ford and SK On are officially ending their battery joint venture, a quiet but telling shift after years of EV-heavy promises.

Ford will keep the Kentucky plant, while SK takes over the Tennessee facility and pivots it toward energy storage instead of EV batteries.

Back in 2021, this partnership was framed as a cornerstone of Ford’s electric future. Fast forward to now, and EV demand hasn’t materialized the way forecasts assumed, incentives are gone, and Ford has already walked back multiple EV strategies in favor of slower, cheaper, and more flexible plans.

For the industry, it’s another sign that the EV transition is becoming less of a straight line and more of a switchback trail.

EVERYTHING ELSE

Quick Hits

• 🤖 Tech: TIME names “The Architects of AI” as the 2025 Person of the Year.

• 🛒 Retail: Airstream’s latest collaboration is a tribute to the Old West.

• 🇺🇸 Policy: The State Department is bringing back Times New Roman for official documents.

• 💰 Economy: Yesterday, the S&P 500 inched up 0.2%, breaking its all-time closing high set in October. The Dow Jones Industrial jumped 1.3% to top its record high set just last month.

AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE

Coming Soon

• February 3-6: NADA Show 2026, Las Vegas, NV

• May 12-15: ASOTU CON 2026, Hanover, MD

Today in History

• 1937: NBC and RCA send the first mobile TV vans onto the streets of New York. 🚐

• 1959: The UN Committee on Peaceful Use of Outer Space is established. ✌️

• 1925: The Mo-Tel of San Luis Obispo (between Los Angeles to San Francisco) opened as the first motel (dubbed so by combining the words motorist and hotel). 🏨

A Moment of Clarity