#647 - 🚗 From Scout To "R"

China Summary, Fisker Delist-er, and What We're Reading

TOGETHER WITH

 

Today is the day — hours, days, weeks, and months of work will premiere for our community to see.

Join us at 12:00 PM CST for More Than Cars Episode 3!

We wear our hearts on our sleeves. We love dealers. We love the auto industry. We love people. We love stories about all three thriving.

Come see what we see every time we look at our community. 😍

Keep Pushing Back
-Paul, Kyle, Chris & Kristi

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Reading time: 4 mins 45 secs

BUSINESS

What a Wednesday…

Giphy/NBC

Sometimes, we like the news, and sometimes, we hate it. If we only read the parts we like, we risk missing risks, and if we only read the parts we hate, we walk around grumpy all day.

Neither seems like the point of reading anything to us. So, here are both kinds of news to keep you balanced.

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From China with Love 

Our favorite time to talk about China is with egg rolls, but our second is when considering all the waves that may soon crash on the shores of our U.S. auto market (but also with egg rolls).

At the Bangkok International Motor Show, Chinese EV manufacturers like Geely's Zeekr and Xpeng Motors are taking center stage, showcasing their latest electric vehicles and highlighting the shifting automotive landscape in Thailand—a market traditionally dominated by Japanese brands. This is part of a broader strategy, with over $1.44B invested by Chinese automakers in Southeast Asia, focusing on Thailand's goal to make 30% of its vehicle production electric by 2030. The region is witnessing a surge in EV sales, expected to double by the end of 2024 from 73,500 units in 2023, reflecting the growing demand for electric vehicles.

We read ten articles about Chinese automakers to pull out the bits that most immediately matter to the global and U.S. markets. 

  • BYD: Now the world's top EV seller, BYD's aggressive pricing and strategy for global exports, including a model starting below $10,000, challenge both global and potential US markets.

  • Xiaomi: Enters the EV arena with the SU7, targeting the premium segment under $69,400, suggesting a shift towards more tech-focused automotive competition.

  • Seagull by BYD: Offers highly affordable EVs starting around $9,700, showcasing the potential for significant market disruption globally (yeah, they have two crazy-cheap EVs coming out).

Toyota: Speaking of Thailand

As Thailand adopts electric vehicles, EV companies are looking for seats at the table to drive EV adoption deeper. Kinda like a snake eating its own tail. No, wait, like an electric eel eating its own tail. 🐍

Toyota is set to mass-produce a battery electric Hilux pickup by the end of 2025, announced by its Thailand unit president. This follows Isuzu's plan to produce its battery D-MAX pickup in Thailand, highlighting the country's role as a regional automotive hub. 

Toyota also plans to trial battery Hilux trucks in Pattaya, Thailand for public transportation.

Fisker Delisting

The NYSE is delisting Fisker Inc. due to its stock's "abnormally low" price, suspending trading immediately. This follows failed investment talks, potentially with Nissan, signaling financial instability for the EV startup and challenging times ahead for its future operations.

First the Scout, Now the "R"

VW is becoming quite the proponent of "Divide." Now, we wait and see if they land the "and Conquer" part. 

Volkswagen is transforming its performance "R" division into an independent brand focusing on electric vehicles starting in 2024. The change will be showcased with a dedicated section at the Autostadt theme park in Wolfsburg. Initially launched in 2002, the R brand produced high-performance models for Volkswagen's lineup, including the Golf R32 and Touareg R. 

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That wasn’t so bad, right? VW is building a new brand, Toyota is building new trucks, and China is building an auto market invasion. Just another day.

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TOGETHER WITH PAVE

Beyond Local

PAVE helps dealerships unlock vehicle buying center strategies far beyond local confines. PAVE provides dealers the condition assurance to acquire consumer vehicles outside of their primary marketing area confidently. 

By simply sending the consumer a text message link, you can receive detailed, verified condition reports on potential acquisitions without the necessity of in-person inspection. The consumer clicks on the link and follows a simple guided photo capture process. Once complete, the dealer receives a line-item graded condition report with estimates for repair. Dealers who have implemented PAVE have seen a 3X improvement in online lead quality and acquisition conversion.

Contact PAVE to learn how you can boost your sales today!

AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE

More Than Cars Ep. 3: It’s Today!

In case you can’t tell, we are really excited to share the new episode of More Than Cars!

We set out to pull back the curtain on the retail auto industry and show the world the real people and real stories that make the auto industry what it is.

If Loving People More Than You Love Cars seems like idealistic talk to you, tune in, and see the people who make it real every day at West Herr Auto Group.

Episode length: 30 minutes

/MTCM

We talk a lot about “Unreasonable Hospitality” around here, and we are excited to hear more from Will Guidara at ASOTU CON about how we can learn from his experience.

Have you seen any stories of unreasonable hospitality in our industry? We call those More Than Car Moments, and we LOVE telling people about them.

Hit reply or the link below and let us help share your story!

WHAT WE’RE READING

Troublemakers Unite

This week’s dive into Will Guidara's book Unreasonable Hospitality is right up our alley as he discusses all the benefits of breaking rules and championing collaboration.

Ever curious about how bending the rules and teaming up can flip the game? Then you’re in for a treat as we dig into these unconventional tactics together and discover how they craft unforgettable experiences.

👉 Keep reading here. 👀

Quick Hits

  • All McDonald’s across the U.S. will sell Krispy Kreme donuts by the end of 2026. 🍩

  • Three states are reporting bird flu in their cattle. 🐄

  • “Happy Gilmore 2” is in development, according to Shooter McGavin. 🏌️‍♂️

History

  • 1871: The first international rugby football match (Scotland defeats England). 🏉

  • 1952: The comedy musical “Singin’ in the Rain,” starring Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds, debuts at the movies. ☔️

  • 2002: Scion debuts. After an attempt to attract younger buyers directly to the Toyota marque failed, the Japanese automaker aimed to launch a new brand that would do the job. What began as Project Exodus resulted in the Scion. 📦

Thanks for reading, friend! We’ll see you at the More Than Cars premiere at 12 PM CST today!