🚗 Toyota Feels The Pinch

🚙 Headlines, Clean Data, and 81% of Dealers Agree on AI

November 05, 2025

TOGETHER WITH

If you know us, you know we’re the last people in the world to waste our time.

Kyle, for instance, only shops at places that accept payment with his Apple Watch.

So, if we’re hosting a webinar, it has to be totally worth our time. Which means, worth your time.

Join us today at 1PM CST/2PM EST for a webinar with our friends at Foureyes.

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

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From the Automotive State of the Union

GM’s Tech Shakeup: From EV Pause to People Moves

GM cut 1,750 jobs, including 1,200 from Factory Zero, while senior software execs exited amid a tech reorg. Mary Barra now oversees cybersecurity and IT directly — a signal GM wants tighter control of its digital backbone.

Expect software strategy to tighten, not vanish — and more short-term inventory churn as GM recalibrates EV goals.

Kia Hits the Brakes on the EV4

The compact EV sedan is officially delayed as tariffs and expiring tax credits shake up import math.

Foreign-built EVs face new timing risks; local manufacturing will be the next differentiator.

Walmart Revives the Print Catalog

Yep, paper’s back — a home goods catalog aimed at reconnecting with shoppers through nostalgia and QR codes.

There’s a lesson here: omnichannel isn’t old-school; it’s full circle. Imagine your own holiday catalog.

The Daily Digest

Click to read the full digest and source articles.

Tariffs, tech, and timing all collide this week.

Toyota’s feeling the pinch — a 25% profit dip despite hybrid demand rising — as U.S. tariffs squeeze margins and pricing strategies. Translation: Hybrid strength remains strong, but watch for potential volatility from imported models heading into 2026.

Costco’s EV discounts are just in time for Christmas. Don’t tell the elves.

Finally, tariff tweaks out of D.C. could actually lower costs by letting automakers self-certify parts for a cheaper 25% rate.

Add it up: the global and local gears are turning fast. Every move here has a ripple effect on your inventory, pricing, and lead flow.

A Fix for Your Disconnected Data

Your data has the answers. You just need to connect the dots.

Join us TODAY at 2:00 PM EST as David Steinberg of Foureyes and Daniel Kim of Barnes Crossing Auto Group share how to unify your CRM, DMS, and vendor data for faster, more confident decisions. You’ll learn how clean, connected systems help every department stay aligned and responsive.

(Can’t fit us into your schedule? No worries! Register anyway and we’ll email you with the video once it’s uploaded.)

EVERYTHING ELSE

Quick Hits

  • 🇺🇸 Policy: The U.S. Gov shutdown could threaten Thanksgiving travel, and may even close some portions of airspace.

  • 💰 Economy: Pizza Hut owner, Yum Brands, is considering selling the pizza chain.

  • 👽 Weird: Martha Stewart is focusing on Gen Z. Yet another important milestone passing Millennials by.

AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE

📊 Data Done Right

💡 What makes AI actually useful for dealers — not just flashy?

A new Cox Automotive study shows 81% of dealers believe AI is here to stay, but only the top performers are turning that belief into results. The difference? They treat AI as a strategy, not another subscription.

The issue broke down:

  • How to connect AI across marketing, ops, and inventory.

  • The best new tools (like Komos and Semrush One) that do the heavy lifting.

  • A “Prompt of the Week” challenge to turn one message into five social-native posts.

  • And a reminder that the most extraordinary computer in the store is still the human running it.

Today in History

Thanks for reading, Friend!

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