🚗 Volkswagen Calls It Quits

🚙 Jeff Let The Dogs Out

September 04, 2024

TOGETHER WITH

Good morning and happy Wednesday, Friend.

Where would we be without experimentation? Not in cars. That’s for sure. We’d more than likely be watching horses from a safe distance, wondering why they never go anywhere cool with all that speed. ASOTU loves experimenting and we do a lot of it out in the open for all to see. So, use the various links in today’s email to check out what we’ve got coming up, coming out, or goin’ down.

Today:

Keep Pushing Back
-Paul, Kyle, Chris & Kristi

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Reading time: 2 mins 46 secs

Make it Quick: VW, Rivian, and Polestar

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VW
Volkswagen is considering closing two German plants due to a significant 15% drop in EV sales across Europe and the U.S., signaling potential disruptions in the supply chain.

Rivian
Meanwhile, Rivian continues to push forward despite a recent fire at its Illinois factory that destroyed over 50 EVs—production remains steady, backed by $800 million in state funding for expansion.

Polestar
Lastly, Polestar appointed a new CFO, Jean-Francois Mady, as part of its ongoing executive reshuffle, just as the company secured $300 million in additional funding to meet its $1.3 billion target.

These changes could shape the competitive landscape in the electric vehicle sector, influencing inventory and pricing strategies for U.S. dealers.

Read the full digest (3 minutes and 40 seconds) on Daily.ASOTU.com.

TOGETHER WITH UPSTART

“Who Needs Walls?” w/ Upstart

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What does it mean to be a dealership without walls?

For Lexus of Lehigh Valley, it means serving customers where they want to shop — which is often from the comfort of their couches — and delivering two-thirds of vehicles remotely.

After moving to Upstart’s online and in-store digital retailing tool, PVR increased from below $600 to over $1,600.

And, the dealership is also the #1 Lexus dealer in Pennsylvania with the second-highest CSI score in the Northeast.

Read the full case study from Upstart here.

🐕️ Jeff Let The Dogs Out

Jeff Wyler Kings Nissan recently wrapped up a tail-waggingly successful Pet Adoption Event in partnership with SPCA Cincinnati.

Held on August 30th, the event saw five pets finding their forever homes, making it a memorable day for both the dealership and the community.

Read more in today’s news digest on Daily.ASOTU.com 

AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE

On The Road w/ ASOTU

🍎 September 16th — The Welcome Conference in NYC.

🤠 November 5-8th — Opening presenters at the 2024 ATAE PR & Communications Focus Group Meeting in Austin, Texas.

⚜️ January 23-26th, 2025 — NADA Show in New Orleans.

🦀 May 13-16th, 2025 — ASOTU CON in Baltimore, Maryland.

Podcast: In The Dirt @ NAMAD

NAMAD has created a tight knit community that genuinely cares to help others succeed.

Paul Daly catches up with Perry Watson IV on the success of NAMAD and how NAMAD's Next Gen dealers create dealer ownership opportunities for minorities.

Give it a listen and then let us know what you think with a comment on LinkedIn.

Quick Hits: Entertainment, Economy, and Science

  • Sony is taking its latest PlayStation game, Concord, offline on September 6th due to poor sales and low player engagement, offering full refunds to all purchasers as they explore future options, potentially including a shift to a free-to-play model. 💾 

  • African countries are losing up to 5% of their GDP annually due to climate change, with the agriculture sector suffering a 34% decline in productivity since 1961. Despite facing severe impacts, these nations receive only 20% of global climate adaptation funding, far below what is needed to build resilience and protect their economies and populations. 🌽 

  • A math student built a fusion reactor in his bedroom using $2,000, guidance from Claude AI, and four weeks of work, successfully producing plasma and setting the stage for further development. 🧑‍🔬 

Today In History

  • 1972: The Price Is Right premieres on CBS. It currently is the longest running game show on American television. 🤑 

  • 1997: The last of the original Ford Thunderbird's rolls off the assembly line. 🫡 

  • 2006: Steve Irwin dies whilst filming in Australia's Great Barrier Reef when a stingray's barb pierced his chest. 😢 

Thanks for reading, friend!

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