Automotive State of The Union

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Episode #1171: Ford scrambles after a supplier fire halts SUV production, Rivian doubles down on AI instead of Apple CarPlay, and young people rediscover the joy of “hanging up”... literally

• Ford is pausing production for several key vehicles, including the Expedition, Lincoln Navigator, and F-150 Lightning, after a massive fire shut down operations at its main aluminum supplier, Novelis. 
  • Novelis’ upstat...

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Episode #1170: California’s new CARS Act sets tough transparency rules for dealers, a new report exposes EV charging’s reliability gap, and Elon Musk’s xAI looks to raise $20 billion—with Nvidia both selling the chips and buying in.

Show Notes with links:

• Governor Gavin Newsom has signed the California Combating Auto Retail Scams (CARS) Act, a landmark law that establishes new consumer protection standards an...

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Today, writer Chris Reeves joins Kyle to talk Fresno Acura’s annual #PinkAcura campaign is back for its 12th year, turning a bright pink car into a traveling symbol of hope.

• Each fall, the Pink Acura visits schools, fundraisers, and local events — inviting people to sign the car in honor of loved ones touched by breast cancer.
• The signatures, memories, and messages become a moving tribute from the Fresno community...

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Episode #1168: Today we’re covering how top dealerships are building stronger workplace cultures, why subprime auto delinquencies are rising, and how Ferrari’s first EV aims to keep its signature sound authentic.

• The Automotive News 2025 Best Dealerships To Work For study reveals what separates top employers from the rest — and it’s more about people than paychecks.
  • Winning dealerships excelled in communi...

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Episode #1167: GM kills its creative EV tax credit plan while Ford plays coy, the Chevy Bolt returns faster and cheaper than ever, and three Nissan dealers take their high-mileage heroes on a 1,500-mile proving ground through the American West.

• General Motors has scrapped a short-lived plan that would have allowed dealers to keep offering a $7,500 federal EV lease credit after the subsidy expired on Septembe...

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Episode #1166: Tesla’s new “affordable” EVs aren’t quite the bargain they seem, Ford’s return-to-office mandate sparks employee backlash, and Mattel teams up with OpenAI’s Sora 2 to reimagine how toys come to life.

Show Notes with links:

• Tesla’s newest “Standard” versions of the Model 3 and Model Y were meant to bring affordability back to the brand — but the math tells another story. Despite cutting prices, ...

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Episode #1165: Today we’re talking about dealerships hitting the 100-year mark and how they’re still family-run, Lincoln Electric’s new portable EV charger that brings dead batteries back to life, and ChatGPT’s new integrations that let it control apps like Spotify, Zillow, and Canva right inside the chat.

• Reaching 100 years in business is rare. Reaching it in the dealership world—while staying family-owned—...

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Episode #1164: Today we’re talking America’s EV charging boom just as electric sales cool, previewing Tesla’s October tease for a cheaper Model Y, and diving headfirst into Sora 2.

Show Notes with links:

• Just as EV sales start to sputter, America’s charging network is finally finding its rhythm. After years of false starts and government delays, billions in private investment and public funding have sparked a...

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Today, Chris Reeves joins Paul and Kyle to share how the Jeff Wyler Auto Group gave away a car to a homeless veteran.

The Jeff Wyler Automotive Family rolled out the red carpet for 34-year-old veteran Theron Bell, surprising him with a brand-new 2023 Nissan Frontier Pro 4X Edition. Bell, who served in Afghanistan from 2011–2012 and lives with PTSD, had no reliable transportation before Friday.

Chosen from five candida...

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Episode #1162: Tesla posts a surprise Q3 sales record, $1,000 car payments are becoming the new normal, Meta plans to use AI chats to make ad targeting more personal than ever.

Show Notes with links:

• Tesla delivered a surprise Q3 record after a rocky first half of the year, beating Wall Street expectations with nearly half a million EVs sold. But with the federal EV tax credit now gone, the question is whethe...

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Episode #1161: Today we’re talking about the end of the EV lease credit frenzy and how dealers and OEMs are adjusting. We’ll also hit Hertz’s big push into e-commerce with Tom Brady, and OpenAI’s bold play to challenge TikTok with AI video.

• With the $7,500 EV lease credit gone, September’s sales rush gave way to a new normal. Dealers say volume could dip at first, but manufacturers are adjusting incentives, produ...

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Today is a very special day as we are launching master plan phase II for the More Than Cars movement. I hope everyone can join us by going to morethancars.com. 

If you happen to get there after the launch, you will see what we've been up to and what is coming down the pike.

Thank you, as always, for being a part of this community. We'll be back tomorrow with news, commentary, and more enthusia...

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Episode #1159: Today we dig into how Ford and GM are stretching the $7,500 EV lease credit, why used EVs are suddenly flying off lots, and how ChatGPT just became a digital storefront.

• With the federal $7,500 EV lease incentive ending today, GM and Ford are using a strategic workaround to extend the benefit for customers—and keep EV momentum alive—into Q4.
  • To skirt the deadline, both automakers’ finance a...

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Episode #1158: EV sales spiked before the tax credit expired, but a slowdown looms. J.D. Power names the brands best at keeping loyal customers. And Apple quietly tests a Siri revamp while leaning on Google to stay in the AI race.

Show Notes with links:

• U.S. auto sales stayed stronger than expected this summer, but analysts now warn the industry may face a softer fourth quarter as affordability challenge...

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On this Saturday, Chris Reeves join Paul and Kyle to talk about the upcoming launch of the next phase of the More Than Cars movement.

Chris shares the story of how Greenwood Chevrolet’s team showed up. 180 employees joined Panerathon 2025, raising $3,145 for the Joanie Abdu Comprehensive Breast Care Center. Business Manager Tracy Briden led the charge, proving that when leadership buys in, the rest of the team follow...

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Episode #1156: Ford’s Jim Farley warns America about jobs and trades in the AI era. Subaru reveals its first dealership redesign in nearly two decades. And the once-hyped “vibe coding” boom may already be running out of steam.

Ford CEO Jim Farley says America’s economy is at a crossroads. As AI threatens to eliminate millions of office jobs, he warns the U.S. is overlooking the “essential economy” of trades and ...

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Episode #1155: Overfuel calls out dealership websites for failing performance tests, RunSafe says cybersecurity is now a dealbreaker for buyers, and ChatGPT becomes a top traffic driver for retailers — while Amazon charts its own AI path

Show Notes with links:

​​Overfuel’s second annual study of top 50 dealer group websites reveals a major gap in digital performance. Despite increasing online shopper behavior, ne...

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Episode #1154: Ford gets creative to close Q3 with a subprime rate push on F-150s. New Jersey locks in fair pay for techs doing recall work. And Chick-fil-A jumps into the specialty drink race with a fresh new concept.

Show Notes with links:

• Ford is making a bold push to close Q3 strong by offering promotional interest rates to subprime borrowers—an unusual but calculated move that underscores growing af...

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Episode #1153: Carvana expands its dealership experiment in Dallas, Berkshire Hathaway closes the books on its massive BYD bet, and Amazon steps up its AI game with a chat assistant for advertisers.

Show Notes with links:

• Carvana is making another big move into franchised new-car sales, and this time it’s happening in Dallas. The company has agreed to acquire Park Cities Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-Ram-Fiat, marking ...