🚗 More the Resolutions

New Year’s Eve is here at last.

Tonight, we go to bed with a head full of 2024’s triumphs and tragedies, but tomorrow, if we dare accept it, we are invited to begin believing 2025 can be better than the highs and lows of the last year.

This isn’t about resolving to stop, start, refine, or refuse some specific thing. It’s a chance to turn some dreams into goals, some goals into plans, and some plans into meaningful, manageable, and measurable steps to invest your time and energy into the person you hope to be by 2026.

Enjoy the day, Friend, and…

Keep Pushing Back
-Paul, Kyle, Chris & Kristi

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BUSINESS

🕵️‍♂️ Honda + Nissan Confusion, CarMax Used Data, and Stellantis Backs Off.

🤷 Honda + Nissan = Confusion
Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe called the merger with Nissan “difficult to justify,” raising eyebrows across the industry. Honda is grappling with EV strategy woes, while Nissan faces financial troubles and a looming Foxconn takeover. Speculation points to Japan’s government nudging the merger to save Nissan. Skeptics question if this odd pairing can deliver results before time runs out on Nissan’s financial recovery.

📈 CarMax’s Mixed Bag
CarMax’s Q3 shows a 5.4% bump in used car sales, but falling prices (-3.9%) highlight affordability challenges. Wholesale unit sales rose 6.3%, and online retail hit 15% of sales, signaling shifting consumer habits. The balance? Rising competition for inventory and evolving buyer expectations create both challenges and opportunities for local dealers to lean into personalized service and creative pricing strategies.

🙌 Stellantis Saves Jobs
In a surprise reversal, Stellantis nixed plans to lay off 1,100 workers in Ohio. This comes after CEO Carlos Tavares abruptly resigned, reportedly over disagreements on cost-cutting. The Jeep Gladiator plant will keep running, offering some much-needed stability. For dealers, that means consistent supply and proof that investing in people still matters.

Read the Full Digest
Get all the details and insights on these stories and more in our latest digest. Don’t miss the trends reshaping YOUR automotive world—read now!

TOGETHER WITH NIKE

This Holiday Season, Give Yourself the Gift of Nike Air Max.

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Find the perfect pair that matches your lifestyle and get ready to make a statement with every step. Treat yourself to a fresh pair from the collection this holiday season—you deserve it.

Shop the Men’s Air Max Collection

MORE THAN CARS MOMENTS

🎄 LaFontaine Automotive Group Leads the Way in Holiday Giving

This holiday season, dealerships nationwide showcased their community spirit. From LaFontaine Automotive Group in Michigan collecting toys for children through Toys for Tots to the Greater Lehigh Valley Auto Dealers donating over $150,000 to Pennsylvania charities, the generosity of dealerships made an impact. Beyond selling cars, they’re proving people are at the heart of this industry.

Read more about how this dealer group gave back this holiday season in our full article!

AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE

🗓️ Coming Soon

Today! Autoindustry.AI’s new email drops today! Check it out.

⚜️ 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: Bans, Bots, and Vertical Plots

• Trump argues TikTok ban is legislative overreach; some senators agree. 📵 

• AI-powered construction robots could help tackle the housing crisis by addressing skilled labor shortages and boosting efficiency, with the market growing 17.5% annually by 2030. 🤖 

• Robert De Niro’s $1 billion Wildflower Studios, the world’s first vertical film studio, opens in Queens this year, redefining NYC’s filmmaking landscape. 🎬️ 

🔁 Today in History: NYE, Peace, and $1B

• 1907 – The first ever ball drop in Times Square. 🪩 

• 1946 – President Harry S. Truman officially proclaims the end of hostilities in World War II. ☮️ 

• 1955 – General Motors becomes the first U.S. corporation to make over US$1 billion in a year. 🤑 

Thanks for reading, friend! We are sure you woke up with an inbox full of news, noise, and “special offers,” but you read this one, and that means a lot to us. Be well, Friend.