- ASOTU Daily Pushback
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- đźš— Tesla's Trillion Dollar Talk
đźš— Tesla's Trillion Dollar Talk
đźš™ Gettel Giving Back, Japanese Tariffs, and Two Zucks
TOGETHER WITH
Happy Monday, Friend!
“Service” takes many forms. For us, it’s not usually about topping off your coffee (all this digital space makes that tricky). Instead, our service looks like seeking out and celebrating dealers thriving in their data, their bottom line, and their community.
It all adds up to this: loving people more than cars.
Once a year, we gather at ASOTU CON to share the many ways our industry is moving toward deeper service of the people we’re privileged to serve.
Check out some ASOTU CON 2025 content here and see what moves us toward service.
Keep Pushing Back,
-Paul, Kyle, Chris & Kristi
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MORE THAN CARS MOMENTS
Shout Out Gettel!
Gettel Automotive Group has donated $70,000 to food banks across Florida and Georgia, supporting families in seven counties. COO Bill Finocchario and CMO David Kelly highlighted the group’s commitment to community impact. Giving back, they said, is part of Gettel’s DNA—driving real change right where it’s needed most.
Check out the original post here, and hear more from Chris and Kyle about the story in the Saturday episode of The Automotive State of the Union podcast on Apple or Spotify!
Turn Your Team into Local Stars
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Ready to learn more? Check out their game-changing strategies that turn sales teams into local legends.
From the Automotive State of the Union
Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier don’t just read headlines; they make important connections across car dealerships, general retail, tech, and culture, all to help automotive leaders think clearly and move faster in a world that refuses to slow down. Catch up on yesterday’s stories:
Mary’s Millions, Elon’s Trillions: GM CEO Mary Barra sold over 40% of her stock, sparking speculation about insider confidence versus retirement planning. Meanwhile, Tesla floated a $1T pay package for Elon Musk, tied to robotaxis and humanoid robots—bets that could shift Tesla further into data and AI.
Japan Tariffs Lowered: The U.S. cut tariffs on Japanese autos from 27.5% to 15%. Toyota welcomed clarity, while Japan pledged $550B in U.S. investments. Domestic automakers may cry foul at the imbalance.
AI Expands: Apple eyes Google Gemini to upgrade Siri, while OpenAI launches U.S. worker certifications, signaling AI’s growing role across industries.
From The News w/ ASOTU
Click to read the full digest.
Check out the latest automaker announcements, market data, insight & action, and More than Cars moments in our 5-minute digest. Today we have:
U.S.–Japan Tariffs
A new 15% baseline tariff now applies to most Japanese imports, retroactive to August 7, 2025. While some materials and generics are exempt, auto models and replacement parts built in Japan are squarely in the crosshairs. Dealers should expect potential price changes at both the showroom and service bay. Refunds may be possible, but the immediate need is coordination with parts managers and pricing tools to manage shifting costs.
Hyundai–LG Battery Raid
Federal authorities raided Hyundai/LG’s EV battery site near Savannah, detaining ~450 workers and halting construction. Though Hyundai’s EV assembly elsewhere in Georgia continues, the disruption could ripple into dealer pipelines if prolonged. South Korean officials are pressuring for a quick resolution, but uncertainty lingers—dealers must prepare customers for potential delivery turbulence.
The Rest
Tesla: Trillion-dollar pay proposal
BMW: Software-first EV rethink
VW: Subscription backlash warning
AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE
Join us this Wednesday the 10th for a can’t-miss 30-minute webinar with Adam Claiborne and Patrick Janes.
We’ll be chatting about re-capturing “lost” customers, proper process-based pipelines, and consistently missed opportunities to sealing deals.
Add it to your calendar, and register today!
EVERYTHING ELSE
Quick Hits
🤖 AI: An AI-powered stethoscope can detect heart problems in seconds. Maybe the medical field will work out, because AI’s haikus are not up to snuff.
🛒 Retail: Prime sign-ups have slowed despite the usual Prime Day bump. Folks just aren’t excited to spend money in order to spend money right now.
đź’° Economy: NYT says the US economy is in rough waters, but that is no sign of sinking.
👽 Weird: A lawyer is suing Meta because they won’t let him use his legal name to set up a Facebook. His legal name is Mark Zuckerberg. What a world.
Today in History
Welcome to a new week, Friend. Let’s get after it!
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