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- đźš— Volvo Rings The Alarm
đźš— Volvo Rings The Alarm
đźš™ Canadian Wins, Ready Set Ford, and Driving for the Cure
TOGETHER WITH
ASOTU isn’t just pro-dealer, it’s a group of people and projects and initiatives who are each pro-dealer.
Because of this, it is hard to tell you about everything we’ve got in the oven all at once, but today you should dip into The Dealer Playbook.
Recently, Michael talked about dealership events that actually sell cars, which is pro-everybody.
Check out The Dealer Playbook here!
Keep Pushing Back,
-Paul, Kyle, Chris & Kristi
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From the Automotive State of the Union
Today, Kyle and Steve tore into the news and left no crumbs.
Canadian auto workers just scored a win: Stellantis will restore a third shift at Windsor in early 2026 to meet minivan and Charger demand, while GM keeps its Oshawa pickup shift alive through January. Union leaders see momentum, even as U.S. tariffs loom.
Meanwhile, a $350B U.S.–South Korea investment pact is wobbling. A Hyundai-linked ICE raid in Georgia soured relations, and now Seoul questions whether the fund offers real capital or just loan guarantees. With auto tariffs still unresolved, the deal risks stalling—casting uncertainty over Korean automakers’ incentives in the U.S.
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:
Rivian Tightens, Then Builds
Rivian is trimming less than 1.5% of its workforce while shutting down its Illinois plant for three weeks to prep the R2 SUV launch. With a Georgia factory restart and a new Atlanta HQ, Rivian is betting big on scaling—even as tariffs tack on thousands per unit.
Volvo’s China Warning
Volvo CEO HĂĄkan Samuelsson says the next automotive heavyweights will be Chinese brands. He predicts overcapacity in China will spill exports into Europe, reshaping the battlefield. For U.S. dealers, that means sticking to SUVs and trucks, leaning into hybrids, and watching EU market shifts for ripple effects.
Other stories at a glance:
More than Cars Moment:
Carla Cosenzi’s Driving for the Cure tournament marked its 17th year, raising funds for Dana-Farber while honoring her father’s legacy. A reminder that dealers shape their communities as much as their bottom lines.
Season 2 is in the Works
We’ve been filming across the country, from LaFayette, IN to Richmond, VA, capturing the real, raw stories that remind us why this industry matters.
This season, Paul and Kyle take you deeper into the lives of the people who give this business its backbone—and its soul.
Watch Season 1 now on Prime Video, YouTube, or Tubi and stay tuned for what’s next!
EVERYTHING ELSE
Quick Hits
AROUND THE ASOTU-VERSE
NAMAD Breaks Records Before the Doors Even Opened
More than 1,200 dealers and OEM leaders packed into Las Vegas—Toyota sent 53 people alone. Perry Watson IV calls it the most concentrated room of OEM reps you’ll ever see. But the real story is what’s being discussed behind closed doors: inventory shortages that won’t ease anytime soon, the push for smarter tech adoption, and NAMAD’s five-point plan for retention, capital, training, advocacy, and awareness.
This isn’t a side-stage conference anymore. NAMAD is setting the tone for the industry’s next era.
👉 Read the full convo here.
Today in History
1970: The Ford Pinto goes on sale.
1997: NASA's Mars Global Surveyor reaches Mars.
2007: Russia tests the largest conventional weapon ever, the Father of All Bombs.
Same time tomorrow, Friend.
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