🚗 Surreal Retail Therapy

Congrats! You made it to the weekend, Friend.

It’s been a heavy week, and our hearts are heavy with it.

We also know we’re not alone in feeling the weight of it all.

So, this is just your reminder to take it slow. Be gentle with yourself. And be gentle with each other.

Keep Pushing Back,
-Paul, Kyle, Chris, and Kristi

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ICYMI

Top Stories

The Daily Pushback Email

• On Monday, we put the spotlight on Gettel Automotive who donated $70K to food banks across Florida and Georgia. Plus, Tesla floated a $1T pay package tied to robots and autonomy, and U.S. tariffs on Japanese autos dropped to 15%. 📉
   

• Then on Tuesday, VW advanced EV plans across three markets, while GM slowed production ahead of tax credit changes. Toyota launched a $33M biofuel project in Fukushima, Jay Leno’s smog exemption bill was blocked in California, and a powerful interview highlighted how a laid-off hotel marketer found a new path in auto. 🤩
   

• Wednesday, Tesla pitched its AI-driven “sustainable abundance” plan, while Europe’s automakers unveiled EVs under pressure from tariffs and Chinese price wars. VW pledged €1B toward AI, and Toyota began consolidating Lexus production due to shifting trade dynamics. 🏭
   

• Thursday we paid remembrance to the attack on the Twin Towers 24 years ago. Canadian unions celebrated Stellantis and GM’s renewed production commitments, and U.S.–Korea trade tensions threatened a $350B investment pact. Plus, Carla Cosenzi’s 17th Driving for the Cure golf tournament reminded everyone that some of the industry’s biggest wins happen far from the showroom. ⛳️
   

• Finally, it was Friday. Paul and Kyle shared their thoughts on the recent news of Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Mexico slapped a 50% tariff on China-built cars, Zoox and May Mobility launched robotaxis in Las Vegas and Atlanta, and U.S. EV sales hit a record 9.9% share in August—even as lenders started tightening. Meanwhile, Ford deleted its entire Instagram history for a lifestyle rebrand. 💅 

PODCASTS

ASOTU Edge Webinar

In our latest ASOTU Edge Webinar, Kyle Mountsier sat down with Patrick Janes of vAuto and Adam Claiborne of Mike Shaw Kia to show how smart dealers are turning yesterday’s “no” into tomorrow’s inventory win.

Key takeaways:

• Most customers get 3–6 offers before visiting your store. Follow-up is everything.

• Mike Shaw Kia’s daily “save-a-deal” review reworks trades and feeds their pipeline.

• Finalized appraisals = visibility. Skipped steps = blind spots.

• Mining misses often beats the auction on both margin and speed.

Read the full article here for workflows and tactics you can put to work tomorrow.

NAMAD Sessions

Ashley Cavazos and Jessica Smith stepped into leadership at WOCAN with titles that came with responsibility, sacrifice, and a clear sense of calling.

What began as a 60-person luncheon has become a 160-person movement, showing the industry’s need for spaces where women of color are seen and supported.

In this interview, Ashley and Jessica share how faith, timing, and resilience shaped their path and why the work matters for the next generation.

Tune in, and find even more NAMAD Sessions here.

The Dealer Playbook

Jimmy Douglas, founder of Plug and former Tesla exec, explains why nearly half of dealers still avoid used EVs and why “dipping a toe” can be worse than sitting out.

He breaks down the steps to profitable turns under 30 days, the culture shift your store needs, and the EV-specific numbers that keep you out of trouble.

Listen to this interview, and get more episodes of The Dealer Playbook here.

AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE

We're making moves at the LA Auto Show, and if you're in the industry, you should be too.

AutoMobility LA is the one-day event for pros only—think dealers, vendors, investors, analysts, and auto obsessives of all stripes. The public gets their turn later. This is your shot to be in the room where the future gets talked about and shaped.

Don’t miss out on early bird pricing, available through October 15th.

PLUS, use code MoreThanCars to get 25% off your ticket.

Register today!

SOMETHING FUN

Crafting a Retail Destination

Gentle Monster’s new 13-floor HQ and flagship in Seoul is less store, more immersive art maze.

Haus Nowhere Seoul is five public floors featuring surreal installations from all its brands including tableware with manicured nails from Nuflaat, and an over-sized animatronic weenie dog snoozing in the middle of the floor by Tamburins.

It’s a bold approach to retail that sticks, and there’s inspiration here for dealerships.

A single art wall from a local school or gallery could start a conversation. A rotating installation in the showroom could give customers a reason to stick around. Even a temporary event could make the store feel less like a transaction and more like a place to be.

People remember what surprises them. Dealers can do the same with a little space, a little imagination, and a little help from some creative pals.

Quick Hits

• The FTC has ordered an inquiry into several social media and artificial intelligence companies about the potential dangers to children and teenagers who use their AI chatbots as companions. 💞

• China is making moves to ban electronically retractable car-door handles. 🚫

• Watch out waist lines! The Girl Scouts are expanding their line-up to include Exploremores, a Rocky Road-inspired chocolate sandwich cookie. 🍪

Thank you for being you, Friend.