🚗 No Frills. 20K?

TOGETHER WITH

We’re about two weeks away, friends!

ASOTU CON is almost here, and we can’t wait to be with you in Hanover.

Consider bringing a friend, teammate, or, if you can find the right words, send your manager to enjoy some of our leadership sessions. 🤣 

Share the details from ASOTUCON.com

Keep Pushing Back
-Paul, Kyle, Chris & Kristi

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THE NEWS

Slate, Ford, and Hendrick

A No-Frills EV Truck Under $20K? Meet Slate, the Anti-Hype Startup

In a market flooded with tech-laden EVs priced like luxury condos, new American startup Slate is flipping the script. Quietly building steam out of Troy, Michigan, the company just revealed its debut all-electric pickup. It’s simple, sturdy, and shockingly affordable—starting under $20,000 with federal tax credits. This isn’t another cyber-sculpture with a six-figure price tag. It’s got crank windows, steel wheels, and a DIY SUV conversion kit for drivers who’d rather mod than mortgage.

Key specs include:

• 150-mile base range, or up to 240 miles with an upgraded pack

• 1,000 lb. towing, 1,433 lb. payload

• Over 100 accessories, mix-and-match style

• Available direct-to-consumer with a $50 deposit

While some EV startups aim for Silicon Valley flash, Slate is targeting the working class and DIY crowd—people who just want a reliable, electric truck without the frills. For dealers, it’s a reminder that affordability and modularity could be a winning combo as EV adoption broadens beyond early adopters.

In a world of overbuilt and overpriced, Slate might just be onto something simple: give people what they actually need.

Ford Gives Its $100K Trucks the VIP Treatment

Ford’s new “Platinum Plus” program delivers luxury-level perks to its top-tier Super Duty buyers. Targeted at those dropping six figures on F-Series pickups, the experience bundles concierge service, virtual tours, accessory discounts, and a Ford Protect maintenance plan—all with a plush “Smoked Truffle” interior to match.

This isn't your typical mainstream pickup play. It's Ford saying, “If you're buying premium, you should feel it.”

For dealers, it’s a chance to elevate the ownership experience and differentiate the top of the lineup—not just in features, but in feeling.

Dealers Keep Betting Big, Even When the Economy Blinks

• Hendrick Automotive is re-entering Columbia, SC by acquiring Love Automotive, adding Chevy and GMC stores to its 13-dealership SC footprint. The Love family legacy lives on, just with a Hendrick badge. “This wasn’t about selling to the biggest,” said Love’s prez. “It was about the right partner.”

• Howard Bentley Buick GMC in Alabama just earned its 10th straight GM Dealer of the Year award. Consistency like that belongs in the Hall of Fame.

• Car Pros Honda El Monte crushed it with 3,747 new Hondas sold, earning a third Sales Circle of Excellence award.

Even with a shaky economy, dealers are not stepping back. They are stepping up.

🥊 Quick Hits

• Workers without college degrees make progress in slowing a grim trend, new report shows 🧑‍🎓 

• Automakers rush to meet surging China demand for long-range hybrids

• People in Sweden watch moose migration on TV. How do we get this sorta content in the US??

TOGETHER WITH COVIDEO

Fewer Buyers. Higher Costs. Big Headwinds.

Learn how dealers are using video to do more with less and turn every lead into a real opportunity.

In today’s market, every lead matters more than ever. With fewer buyers visiting dealerships, rising acquisition costs, and growing economic uncertainty (think: interest rates, tariffs, and tightening demand), dealerships are being challenged to do more with less.

That’s where video comes in. Join Covideo VP of Marketing, Margaret Henney, and Darrell Perry, SVP & GM at Vorderman Volkswagen, as they break down how modern dealerships are using personalized video to increase appointment rates, reduce friction, and accelerate the sales cycle.

You’ll get practical shortcuts, proven scripts, and actionable strategies that you can use immediately to make video your unfair advantage.

RSVP now!

MORE THAN CARS MOMENTS

Dealership Donates to Community Suggestions

Great Lakes Hyundai of Dublin is stepping up for central Ohio with its Share the Luck giveaway—donating $10,000 to a local nonprofit or charity.

The dealership, under new leadership since July 2023, is calling on the public to nominate deserving organizations through the end of April via this form.

General Sales Manager Rick Clausen says the team is eager to give back to the community that’s supported them.

The winner will be announced in early May!

🔁 Today in History

• 1788 – Maryland becomes the seventh state to ratify the United States Constitution. 📝 

• 1881 – Billy the Kid escapes from the Lincoln County jail in Mesilla, New Mexico. 🤠 

• 1956 – The Ford Skyliner hardtop convertible debuts 🆕