.png)
Automotive State of The Union
Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier don’t just read headlines, they make the most important connections across car dealerships, general retail, tech, and culture. The goal? To help automotive leaders think clearer and move faster in a world that refuses to slow down.
Whether you’re running a rooftop, building a brand, or just trying to keep up with everything shifting in the business of selling cars, this is your regular stop for a shot of news, insight, and a little bit of chaos…always rooted in people-first thinking.
From the showroom to Silicon Valley.
From Wall Street to Main Street.
Paul and Kyle connect the dots, keep it real, and make it make sense.
Learn more at https://www.asotu.com
Episodes
1264 episodes
The NADA Takeaway Show, Will Dealers Welcome Chinese OEMs?
Episode #1264: As the NADA Show wraps, we zoom out on what actually mattered, from a shift in how dealers are thinking about AI, to deeper vendor partnerships, to how dealers are thinking about Chinese vehiclesShow Notes with ...
•
15:38
.png)
Friday AM Live from the 2026 NADA Show, The Rebound is Real, Rubik’s Cubes and Mortal Kombat
As we wrap up the NADA show this morning, we are energized.We’re hearing that this has been record years for a lot of industry partners, and dealers are optimistic and ready to try new things.Our friends at C...
•
9:44
Thursday AM Live From the 2026 NADA Show, Retention is More Than Free Oil Changes
We're at the North Hall of the NADA Show today, getting ready for another amazing day.An underlying theme of all our conversations has been the "Year of the Human." Even though AI is a big theme, dealers are asking, "How does this help ...
•
6:17
Thursday Afternoon Live From the NADA Show, How AI Search Is Changing The Game
We've been on the show floor all day, and so this afternoon, we stopped by our friends at Cars Commerce to catch up with the one and only Brian Kramer.As a former dealer himself, Brian has great insights to the market and how its moving...
•
12:43
NADA Show Is Here, Live From The JD Power Auto Summit
The More Than Cars team is on the ground ready to run hard during the NADA Show.Today, we’ll be at the JD Power Auto Summit grabbing interviews and writing up all the sessions.Follow More Than Cars, Paul J Daly, Kyle Mountsier, ...
•
7:05
Outgoing NADA Chairman Tom Castriota on Leadership, Policy, and What’s Next
Episode #1259: As the automotive world heads to Las Vegas, Paul sits down with outgoing NADA Chairman Tom Castriota for a candid conversation on a whirlwind year of leadership.As dealers head to Las Vegas, Paul sits down ...
•
19:18
When a Dealership Becomes First Responders
On this Saturday before NADA, Chris and Nathan join Kyle to talk about a recent car crash where a dealership jumped into action.When
•
10:17
Chinese EVs Take Over Europe, NADA AI Preview, A Very Nervous Consumer
Episode #1257: Chinese automakers are taking real share in Europe, AI at NADA is growing up fast, and U.S. consumer confidence just hit a decade low. Chinese automakers just hit a milestone in Europe, capturing nearl...
•
17:36
Optimus Ousts Model X/S, EV’s Outsell Gas in EU, and Starbucks Turnaround
Episode #1256: Tesla IS phasing out its legacy models X and S to make room for humanoid robots. EV sales just passed petrol cars for the first time in the EU. Finally, Starbucks is brewing a comeback under a new CEO, but margins are still...
•
12:24
Rideshare Wars Rage, Auto Brands Skip Bowl, Experience Beats Price
Episode #1255: Waymo gains ground on rideshare rivals as Tesla undercuts them all. A global study shows bad CX drives customers away faster than high prices. And automakers pull back from Super Bowl ads, choosing more flexible, efficient buys.<...
•
15:22
GM’s Costly Quarter, Auto Hackers Cash In, Surprising Airline Rankings
Episode #1254: GM takes a multibillion-dollar EV hit but says 2026 looks brighter, white-hat hackers cash in by cracking EV chargers and infotainment systems, and the airline industry gets its annual report cardGeneral Mo...
•
12:08
Service Is King, AI Gets Paid, Ford Wears Carhartt
Episode #1253: Today we’re digging into why fixed ops is carrying the dealership profit load, how dealer-focused AI just landed serious funding, and why Ford teaming up with Carhartt is about a lot more than merch.With new-c...
•
10:20
Three Dealers Teaming Up To Support Mental Health, Autism Services, and Animal Rescue
These three dealers used to work together, and now they are teaming up to make a real difference.Charlesglen Toyota, 5th Avenue Volkswagen, and Lexus of Royal Oak worked with their teams to raise $265,000 for local charities, matching em...
•
10:18
Recapping Public Policy Day, Driverless Robotaxis In Austin
Episode #1251: Today’s show comes to you from Washington, DC as Public Policy Day wraps and the auto industry’s biggest themes take center stage.Autonomy is no longer theoretical — Tesla has begun limited robotaxi rides in Aus...
•
10:16
Dealers v Scout, Insurers v Drivers, Lemonade Saves The Day
Episode #1250: Colorado dealers filed suit on VW-backed Scout’s direct-sales license, insurers face political heat as profits soar and affordability cracks, and Lemonade rolls out Tesla Full Self-Driving-based insurance, hinting at a future whe...
•
12:51
Affordability Not EVs, Agentic Shopping, and a Dealership Takes Center Stage
Episode #1249: We dig into why affordability—not EV tech—is the real sales bottleneck heading into 2026, how agentic shopping is reshaping the idea of ‘merit’ across retail, and why Jeff Daniels’ new stage play about a struggling dealership is ...
•
10:25
Dealer Sentiment Cools, Wawa Supercharger Logo, A Sphere in D.C.
Episode #1248: Dealer confidence takes a hit as affordability pressures and tighter margins creep into Q4, even as fixed ops and F&I try to hold the line. Meanwhile, Wawa goes all-in on Tesla charging, and the Vegas Sphere model heads to DC...
•
12:34
Canada Allows Chinese EVs, Don’t Call it an EV Slowdown, GPT Ads are Here
Episode #1247: Canada slashes EV tariffs in a controversial China deal, OpenAI kicks off its ad-supported ChatGPT Go plan, and Recurrent CEO Scott Case calls out the real EV story: a booming used market dealers can’t afford to miss....
•
12:17
Life Hit Hard. The Dealer Community Hit Back.
Today, Head Writer Chris Reeves joins the show to share how the Super Chevy Dealers of Baton Rouge and Our Lady of the Lake came together to honor Vietnam veteran and former police officer Michael King with a new 2026 Chevy Equinox RS—proof tha...
•
7:25
Honda’s New Logo, Tesla’s New Lithium Factory, Workers Staying Put
Episode #1245: Honda unveils a brand-wide logo reboot, Tesla brings its massive Texas lithium refinery online, and U.S. workers pump the brakes on job-hopping—opting for stability and side hustles instead. Show No...
•
12:05
More Buyers Approved for Loans, FSD Goes Subscription-Only, Loyalty Expectations Rise
Episode #1244: Today we're talking about Tesla's FSD flip to subscription-only, the continued softening of auto credit conditions, and a loyalty report that says your customers are expecting way more. Sho...
•
10:43
Trump’s Middle Finger Overshadows Ford Visit, Smarter Recon Strategies, Gen Alpha Spends
Episode #1243: We’re talking about a viral moment at Ford’s Dearborn plant, a smart strategy for turning old trade-ins into profit, and surprising insights into the real buying power of Gen Alpha.Show Notes with links:...
•
12:36
All Things CES with Steve Greenfield
Episode #1242: Today we have a very special edition of The Automotive State of the Union.It’s All Things CES with Steve Greenfield. After walking many miles on the show floor, Steve will be sharing all the insights, surprises, a...
•
20:08
CarMax Hits Reset, Hilux BEV, Walmart Drone Delivery
Episode #1241: CarMax leans on price cuts and marketing to spark sales, Toyota takes its iconic Hilux electric in Europe, and Walmart keeps scaling drone delivery as demand grows.CarMax is shifting
•
10:35
Is January Almost Half Over? Let's Feed Some People.
Today, Paul Kyle, and Chris Reeves are together again after a bunch of guest hosts and holiday episodes. They argue over whose New Year's Eve was more boring and whether or not you should actually prepare for tornadoes. But most importantly, we...
•
11:14