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- 🚗 Tariffs, Fleet EVs, and a Driveway Sealed by AI
🚗 Tariffs, Fleet EVs, and a Driveway Sealed by AI
🚙 Marathons, Study Mode, and Tunnels in Nashville
TOGETHER WITH
August 1st.
A perfect day to remember a commitment to service is no “set it and forget it” situation.
Every morning, every week, every new month, the circuit repeats, and the commitments are either renewed or neglected.
Let’s not lose momentum, Friend.
Keep Pushing Back,
-Paul, Kyle, Chris & Kristi
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Reading time: 4 min and 21 sec
From the Automotive State of the Union
Ford’s $3B Gut Check
Ford just upped its projected tariff costs for 2025 to $3B, a $500M hike from earlier this year. That’s not small. Q2 alone took an $800M hit, thanks to elevated duties on imported parts, steel, and aluminum, especially from Mexico and Canada.
The good news? Ford’s domestic production footprint (80% of U.S. sales) is helping cushion the blow, giving them a stronger base than competitors like GM. Still, the company pulled back its annual EBIT forecast and is now deep in conversations with the White House about possible relief.
What we’re watching: Whether this pressure nudges pricing, impacts consumer incentives, or forces production shifts heading into an election year.
Also in this episode:
Fleet EVs surge: Commercial EV adoption is booming, up 274%—but many dealerships aren’t ready to meet the moment.
ChatGPT goes Socratic: OpenAI’s new “Study Mode” helps students learn instead of cheat. Think: office hours on demand.
From The News w/ ASOTU
Click to read the full digest.
The Boring Company’s plan to dig a 10-mile tunnel loop through downtown Nashville has ignited more questions than celebrations. With zero public input and a no-cost lease on state land, some call it progress. Others call it a blind spot for transparency and trust. The outcome of today’s public hearing could shape how tech-forward infrastructure lands in local communities.
Meanwhile, GM has officially brought the Bolt back, but not as we knew it. The 2027 model will skip the small hatch and return as a larger EUV with NACS charging and new design cues. It’s less about nostalgia, more about meeting today’s market on its own terms.
Also worth watching:
🥊 Quick Hits
The White House announced a 15% tariff deal with South Korea on Wednesday. 🇰🇷
DreamWorks put a legal threat in the credits of Bad Guys 2, saying they would sue anybody who uses the movie to train an AI. 🧑⚖️
A script for Gremlins 3 is written and awaiting approval from Steven Spielberg. 🍿
Your Techs Didn’t Sign Up for a Marathon
Your techs are highly trained experts, but sometimes it seems like their biggest job is just walking back and forth to the parts counter.
A Ford dealership using Relo said it best:
“Before Relo, we had 20+ technicians walking to the parts counter like five to six times a day. Now, only a few go, and usually only once.”
Relo, the parts delivery robot, puts your techs back where they belong: under the hood, turning hours instead of laps. Relo brings parts directly to technicians, keeping the service drive humming, repairs moving, and customers happy.
Want to help your techs turn more hours and fewer corners?
SOMETHING ELSE
Gen Z’s Definition of Luxury
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We found an interesting article on Retail Brew.
Quince is a DTC brand going viral by doing what luxury forgot: offering high-quality goods without the markup. They’re leaning into radical price transparency, authentic content, and a factory-direct model that feels fair to value-conscious Gen Z and millennial shoppers.
The marketing takeaway for dealers?
Today’s customer isn’t looking for cheaper. They’re looking for clearer.
Quince doesn’t rely on polished ads—it wins with real people sharing real reactions. It doesn’t chase hype—it builds trust by explaining where the price comes from and why it’s worth it.
So for our friends in the marketing department:
Show the value behind the price.
Let your team and customers tell the story.
Don’t oversell—over-explain.
The perception of “luxury” is changing. And the dealers who adapt their message to meet that shift? They’ll lead the next generation of buyers.
AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE
Meet Paul’s New “Assistant”
Paul just used OpenAI’s new agent to get his driveway sealed, and the results reveal a lot about websites, data, and lead follow-up in 2025. Spoiler: the “worst” website won.
Watch the video on LinkedIn to see what every marketer (and ops lead) should be rethinking right now.
🔁 Today in History
1964 – Don Garlits becomes the first drag racer to hit 200 mph in a 1/4 mile 🏁
1965 – Frank Herbert's novel, Dune, was published for the first time. It was named as the world's best-selling science fiction novel in 2003. 🪱
1981 – MTV begins broadcasting in the United States and airs its first video, "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles. 📼
Friday seemed like it would neve come, but look at you now!
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