🚗 Nissan Holds it DOWN

TOGETHER WITH

ASOTU CON is less than 3 weeks away, Friend.

The time to get your ticket is now. We’ve spent a lot of time curating the agenda, speakers, and festivities, but YOU will bring the life.

You will bring the concerns of your store, community, and team.
You will learn and share the insights and actions the industry needs to thrive for years and years to come.

Because when dealers band together, no crisis can win.

Disruptors are banded together.
Are you ready to do the same?

Keep Pushing Back
-Paul, Kyle, Chris & Kristi

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THE NEWS

Nissan, Washington, and Kia’s Crown

Nissan Holds the Line Amid Tariff Uncertainty

Nissan is keeping prices steady through at least June 2, giving dealers breathing room as a 25% import tariff throws the industry into disarray. With nearly a three-month supply of tariff-free vehicles and plans to boost U.S. production, Nissan is leveraging its underutilized domestic plants as a strategic advantage. The Rogue line alone will see a 54% output increase. Translation: they’re buying time and betting on homegrown inventory.

The Auto Industry Is Washington’s Piñata?

Politicians are swinging from both sides—mandating EV sales one minute, imposing import tariffs the next. The result? Billions in losses, steep EV discounts, and a fragile profit landscape. Ford’s EV division is $15B in the red. A $6K tariff on a $24K sedan is the new math. And while U.S. factory utilization sits at 65%, shifting supply chains will be far harder than just building more cars. The industry deserves better.

Kia EV3 Crowned World Car of the Year

The $35K Kia EV3 just beat everyone to the top spot—earning 2025’s World Car of the Year. Not “best EV.” Not “most affordable.” Just the best. With nearly 400 miles of range, fast charging, OTA updates, and an AI assistant that actually works, it’s a quiet disruptor. It also happens to be well-priced and practical. The win isn’t just a trophy. It’s a message: buyers (and the market) are ready for a new kind of leader.

➕ More

Read more on these stories and several others in our Daily Digest.

🥊 Quick Hits

• Gold prices set new record. 📈 

• Films made with AI can win Oscars, Academy says. 🎬️ 

• IMF cuts growth forecasts for most countries in wake of century-high U.S. tariffs. ✂️ 

TOGETHER WITH TRADEPENDING

Can You Spot The Differences?

As the market shakes out, we’re definitely living through a different time than the shakeout during the early days of the pandemic.

What’s different this time around? What’s the same? So then…what next?

TradePending spells out their take on the current market.

TECHNOLOGY

AI Hits the Tariff Frontlines

As the Trump administration eyes tariffs on imported vehicles and parts, auto dealers are seeing a rush of buyers hoping to beat the price hikes. AI tools are stepping in to help manage the surge—sorting leads, answering questions, and keeping human teams focused on closing deals.

Platforms like VinSolutions and Kelley Blue Book are enabling real-time pricing strategy shifts, while AI is also helping with inventory planning, sourcing, and service ops prep as the second half of the year approaches.

This week’s Prompt of the Week helps turn aged inventory reports into a heatmap of risk and opportunity. Plus, we’ve got new AI tools for ops, marketing, and service—including AutoAid, Toma, Lotlinx, Market Wiz, and Flowbots Auto.

One last thing: saying “please” to your chatbot might use more power than you think. But it could also make your AI more helpful.

Read the full AutoIndustry.AI weekly email here.

AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE

Connected Auto Retail Meets AI-Powered Financing

Looking to close more deals, boost profits, and deliver a seamless experience from your website to the F&I office? Upstart’s end-to-end platform is helping dealers do just that with connected retail tools and AI-powered financing that turns more shoppers into buyers.

With proven results like:

• 90 minutes saved per deal

• 4x higher close rates

• Up to 50% higher back-end gross

…it’s no wonder dealers are calling it “second to none.”

Catch Upstart at ASOTU CON 2025 where they’re hosting the breakout session: “Maximizing Profits with AI: Strategies to Convert More Shoppers and Drive Sales.”

🔁 Today in History

• 1635: The first public school in the colonial era United States—the Boston Latin School—is founded. 🏫 

• 1947: The 1,000,000th Packard is built. 🧑‍🏭 

• 1987: Chrysler buys Lamborghini. 🤑