🚗 Porsche Blames EVs

🚙 ASOTU CON Highlights and the Pitch Tank Champ!

May 15, 2025

TOGETHER WITH

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ASOTU CON Day 1 was fantastic, Friends!

We hope (and heard) you feel the same, but this isn’t a brag post; this is about gratitude.

Yesterday was amazing for the whole ASOTU Team. We’ve worked hard to prepare ASOTU CON’s shapes, but you brought the color. Thank you for joining us. Let’s get ready for another!

And, of course, if you’re reading this from the dealership, we’re grateful for you, too! Events like these could never happen without somebody keeping things on point back home.

We’re grateful for each of you.

Keep Pushing Back
-Paul, Kyle, Chris & Kristi

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EV Blame, Market Jazz, and Honda’s Pause

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⚡ EVs: Two Steps Forward, One Porsche Back

Toyota and VW lean into EVs while Porsche rethinks everything.

Toyota’s bringing the all-electric C-HR to the U.S.—290 miles of range, 338 hp, and Supercharger access. VW’s going cheaper with lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries starting in the 2026 ID.2, with hopes it’ll trickle into U.S. ID.4s. Meanwhile, Porsche is walking back its all-in EV dreams, blaming China, tariffs, and, basically, reality.

📉 Market Pulse: Smoke Says April Peaked

Sales sizzled, rates climbed, supply stopped shrinking—welcome to May.

Retail peaked late April. Consumer spending is up, sentiment’s rising, and supply seems to have bottomed out. But low-APR deals are vanishing, and loan rates on new cars are nearly 10%.

  • Used is hot—lower loan rates and stronger leads.

  • New leads lagging, so sharpen those follow-ups.

  • Service still soft, but stable.

🇩🇪 Ford Gets Struck in Germany

Cologne workers walk out over 14% headcount cut across Europe.

A 24-hour strike cost Ford millions and signaled more unrest could be brewing. Workers want negotiations; Ford’s quiet for now.

  • Minimal U.S. impact… so far.

  • Labor friction = global ripple risks.

🇨🇦 Honda Pauses $10.7B EV Plans

Tariffs and weak demand freeze Canadian mega-project for 2 years.

Honda hit pause on its Ontario expansion, citing U.S. tariffs and meh EV demand. CR-V production is moving back to the U.S., and 1,000 new jobs are on hold.

  • 0 Series timeline just got murkier.

  • Cross-border supply chains? Feeling the squeeze.

➕ More

Read more about these stories in our Daily Digest!

🥊 Quick Hits

  • Google has updated its logo for the first time in nearly a decade. 🆕

  • U.S. users will soon be able to buy products, book travel and purchase event tickets directly from Perplexity AI. 🛒 

  • LEGO has unveiled a 1,635-piece Krusty Burger set from “The Simpsons”. 🍔

A Word from the aM Team!

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Hey ASOTU family!

With lots of talk around AI for dealers, how does AI help free up time in your day-to-day work AND help you sell more cars?

automotiveMastermind's Fritz uses his industry-leading data sources & observations to help dealers write custom scripts and understand:

  • WHO should I prioritize talking to?

  • WHAT vehicle are they most likely to buy?

  • HOW will they likely transact?

  • THEN write personalized email, SMS, and phone call talk-tracks for you. 

Get time back in your day when you leverage the automotive industry's strongest data points.

Plus, just for ASOTU CON attendees, receive your first month FREE!

MORE THAN CARS MOMENTS

Pitch Tank Champion: Toma

Big congrats to Toma, the 2025 Pitch Tank Champion!

Their advanced voice AI platform captivated both judges and attendees, showcasing how seamless automation can revolutionize dealership operations.

It was an incredibly tight competition, but Toma brought the heat—and walked away with the crown.

Thank you to all of our competitors this year, and way to go Toma!

ASOTU CON 2025

One Heck of a Welcome Party

Monday night was one for the books.

We mixed, we mingled, and we made memories with some of the brightest minds the biz. From old friends to fresh faces, the energy was unmistakable.

Enjoy some of our favorite pictures from the event, and share your own on socials with the hashtag #ASOTUCON!

🔁 Today in History

  • 1252: Pope Innocent IV issues the papal bull ad extirpanda, which authorized the torture of heretics in the Medieval Inquisition. 🐂

  • 1672: The first copyright law is enacted by Massachusetts. ©️

  • 1928: Mickey Mouse makes his first ever appearance in the silent film "Plane Crazy.” 🐭

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