Welcome to Saturday, Friend!

We’ve fallen down the rabbit-hole of wild test-drive stories, and now we’re hooked.

What’s the strangest thing that’s ever happened to you while behind the wheel with a customer?

Hit reply if you’ve got a tale worth telling, and we’ll share a few of our favorites next weekend.

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

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On Monday, used sales showed surprising momentum to start 2026, with Cox flagging Q1 as a potential bright spot if tax refunds support demand. Manufacturing data looked positive overall, but vehicle output remained soft. OEMs doubled down on energy storage, software, and Level 3 subscription paths, while dealers were reminded to lead with used value and simple, comparable EV payment offers. 🤑

On Tuesday, Canada’s decision to allow a limited volume of Chinese-made EVs at a lower tariff raised a new expectation problem: shoppers will ask why they cannot buy $25K EVs here. Affordability stayed center stage, as value nameplates like Trax and Maverick posted record results. 📈

On Wednesday, dealers still called conditions “favorable,” but confidence slipped in Q4 as front-end margin pressure grew. More transparency and payment sensitivity are squeezing new-vehicle gross, and more dealers expect margins to worsen. 😓

On Thursday, Chevy dealers highlighted how lease maturities are resetting payments $300 to $400 higher. Volkswagen’s cost-savings push showed the same discipline upstream as manufacturers protect margins under consumer strain. Partnerships, like Aston Martin and Honda exploring future collaboration, and Manheim’s mid-January data also showed wholesale prices running hotter than normal as dealers position for tax season. 🔥

On Friday, EV momentum faced another potential headwind as Congress debated removing significant federal funding tied to charger expansion, which could slow mainstream confidence if public infrastructure grows more slowly. At the same time, KBB’s 2026 Best Buys reinforced buyer preference for practical value and dependable ownership. Tesla’s driverless rollout in Austin added progress, but also highlighted the gap between controlled pilots and scaled reliability. ⚖️

Most dealers track lost deals. Few understand why they actually walked.

In this ASOTU Edge Webinar, Betsy Marietti of Urban Science breaks down how new SalesAlert defection survey insights give dealers direct feedback from customers who bought elsewhere. The result is clearer coaching, smarter fixes, and measurable sales lift without more leads.

Read the full recap to see how dealers are turning lost deals into real gains.

Jay Ku left home at 14, went pro as a cyclist at Harvard, and somehow managed to land in retail auto through a mix of grit, curiosity, and a deep obsession with human connection.

Now he’s building tools that give sales teams real support.

In this episode, Jay breaks down why high turnover and impersonal leads are killing trust—and how Hey Greenlight’s AI tools, Signal and Wingman, are giving average reps the confidence and context to show up like pros.

Catch the full convo.

How do you sell 300 used cars a month in a town of 2,900?

In this episode of The Dealer Playbook, Rob Ruth shares how Bob Ruth Ford scaled a pre-owned-first strategy with a startup mindset, a street-buying team, and a leadership style that treats employees like partners.

From Facebook Marketplace to a 240-car-a-month acquisition machine, this is how they’re building loyalty, profit, and career paths.

Hit play and learn something.

Lamborghini doesn’t do snow days. It does snow experiences.

From January 6 to 16th, a lucky few were invited to Livigno, Italy for Lambo’s annual ice-driving adventure.

Since 2012, Accademia Neve (aka “Snow Academy”) has blended the brand’s signature flash with real-deal driving instruction.

Guests learn to drift, slide, and thread supercars across ice-covered valleys, all with an expert instructor riding shotgun and a mountain backdrop that looks straight out of a Bond film.

This year’s lineup included the new hybrid V8 Temerario, the Revuelto, Urus SE, and Huracán Sterrato, each fitted with custom Bridgestone Blizzak snow tires.

Between laps, guests warmed up in a Sonus faber chalet, demoed a Lamborghini-inspired snowboard, and capped the day with alpine fine dining and a five-star stay.

The weather may have been freezing, but Lamborghini made sure every moment was fire.