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Automotive State of the Union

With Paul J Daly — the flagship industry show.

The daily pulse of retail automotive, formerly The Automotive Troublemaker.

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Episodes

The full library.

50 episodes · Updated 8 hours ago

  • Episode artwork for “Guest-Host Steve Greenfield - Carvana’s Service Question, Nissan-Honda Reunite, Robots Run Wild”
    EP 143714 minAug 31, 2026

    Guest-Host Steve Greenfield - Carvana’s Service Question, Nissan-Honda Reunite, Robots Run Wild

    Episode #1437: Today, Steve Greenfield, General Partner at Automotive Ventures joins us: Carvana’s nationwide new-car sales raise questions about who handles the customer after the sale, Nissan and Honda reunite to share software development without sharing a corporate logo, and humanoid robots are setting records in Beijing Show Notes with links: Carvana’s growing new-car business is raising a bigger question for Stellantis Dealers: what happens after the sale? As Carvana sells Jeeps and Rams far outside its local markets, Dealers are questioning how service, warranty work, and long-…

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  • Episode artwork for “Rhett Ricart on Ford’s Lifetime Achievement Award and The 80,000 Foot View”
    EP 143515 minAug 28, 2026

    Rhett Ricart on Ford’s Lifetime Achievement Award and The 80,000 Foot View

    Episode #1435: Today we sit down with Rhett Ricart to talk about a career in automotive and what dealers should be watching next, from Chinese competition and direct sales to affordability and fixed ops. Fresh off receiving Ford’s Lifetime Achievement Award, Rhett Ricart joins Paul for a wide-ranging conversation about a lifetime in automotive and what comes next. From the lessons of COVID to Chinese competition, direct sales, affordability, and fixed ops, Ricart offers the perspective of someone who’s seen the industry navigate plenty of chaos. Ford recently surprised Ricart with it…

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  • Episode artwork for “Guest Host Jamie Butters - Skip The Salesperson, Walmart Plugs In, Google Bids For Spirit”
    EP 143415 minAug 27, 2026

    Guest Host Jamie Butters - Skip The Salesperson, Walmart Plugs In, Google Bids For Spirit

    Episode #1434: Today, host of the Autotown podcast Jamie Butters joins to talk about how a Subaru dealer built its own Carvana-style buying experience. Walmart hits 100 locations in its growing EV charging network, and Google bids $10 million for 34 years of Spirit Airlines data to help train AI. Show Notes with links: Mark Miller Subaru has essentially built its own Carvana competitor right on top of the franchised dealership model. GM Chris Hudson and his team have redesigned the digital journey around the same promise that made Carvana famous: buy the car online, skip the salesperson,…

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  • Episode artwork for “Guest Host Jim Fitzpatrick, Tariffs on the Ground, Parts Take Flight (Literally)”
    EP 143316 minAug 26, 2026

    Guest Host Jim Fitzpatrick, Tariffs on the Ground, Parts Take Flight (Literally)

    Episode #1433: Today, we’re joined by the legend Jim Fitzpatrick of CBT News. Canada is firing back at the U.S. with $20 billion in retaliatory tariffs, while Jack Demmer Automotive Group is testing drone delivery to get critical auto parts where they need to go faster. Show Notes with links: Two days after new U.S. tariffs hit $20 billion in Canadian goods, President Trump escalated the trade fight directly into automotive, threatening to double tariffs on Canadian cars, trucks and auto parts to 50% starting January 1, 2027. The current 25% auto tariff would jump to 50%, while previou…

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  • Episode artwork for “Apple Maps Powers Ford, Polestar Pushes Back, Goodyear Goes Experiential”
    EP 143219 minAug 25, 2026

    Apple Maps Powers Ford, Polestar Pushes Back, Goodyear Goes Experiential

    Episode #1432: Ben Hadley, CEO of Auto Genius joins as guest host and we look at automakers getting more comfortable handing key tech duties to Silicon Valley, Polestar still searching for answers after its U.S. setback, and Goodyear turning tire service into destination retail with a Motor City concept inspired by Starbucks and Nike. Show Notes with links: Ford and Apple are taking their relationship deeper, with Apple Maps data now supporting both Ford’s next EV platform and future BlueCruise development. It’s another sign that automakers are becoming more comfortable relying on big…

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  • Episode artwork for “Credit Availability Rises, Zoox Gets Rolling, AI Agents In The Car”
    EP 143119 minAug 24, 2026

    Credit Availability Rises, Zoox Gets Rolling, AI Agents In The Car

    Episode #1431: Today we’re joined by Steve Greenfield, General Partner at Automotive Ventures and we’re talking about lenders opening the credit taps even as delinquencies stay near record highs. Plus Amazon’s Zoox clears a major robotaxi hurdle and the next wave of in-car AI that could make vehicles more useful. Show Notes with links: Credit is getting easier to find even as serious auto delinquencies remain near record highs. Lenders aren’t backing away from the market—in fact, competition is increasing and dealers are seeing more flexibility getting customers approved. Dealertrac…

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  • Episode artwork for “Toyota Closes On GM, Used EV Supply Rise, BMW’s Spider-Man Dashboard Ad”
    EP 142911 minAug 21, 2026

    Toyota Closes On GM, Used EV Supply Rise, BMW’s Spider-Man Dashboard Ad

    Episode #1429: It’s Friday as Toyota threatens GM’s long-held U.S. sales crown while taking a very different approach to the market. We also talk about growing used EV sales and inventory, plus BMW finding out how customers feel about ads showing up on the screens inside their cars. Show Notes with links: Toyota is closing in on GM’s nearly century-long reign atop U.S. auto sales, as the two automakers take very different paths through a slowing market. Toyota is pushing volume, hybrids and affordable models, while GM is prioritizing higher-margin vehicles and profits. GM’s lead over…

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  • Episode artwork for “NADA President Mike Stanton on NADA’s Fight for Dealers, FTC Clarity & An Epic Orlando”
    EP 142815 minAug 20, 2026

    NADA President Mike Stanton on NADA’s Fight for Dealers, FTC Clarity & An Epic Orlando

    Episode #1428: NADA President Mike Stanton joins us to talk about the biggest issues facing dealers through the rest of the year, plus, we look ahead to an already sold-out NADA Show floor and an Epic return to Orlando. NADA President Mike Stanton joined the show to lay out what’s ahead for dealers—from FTC pricing compliance and protecting the franchise system to the growing Chinese OEM threat. He also previewed NADA’s Washington Conference and an Orlando show that promises to be, quite literally, Epic. FTC pricing remains front and center. NADA is working directly with the FTC as deal…

    AppleSpotifyYouTubeEpisode page
  • Episode artwork for “Carvana’s Convenience Premium, Cybercab Close To Debut, ChatGPT Goes To School”
    EP 142712 minAug 19, 2026

    Carvana’s Convenience Premium, Cybercab Close To Debut, ChatGPT Goes To School

    Episode #1427: Apparently convenience is worth a few bucks as Carvana proves customers will pay more for a streamlined experience. Plus, Tesla is getting closer to putting the Cybercab on public roads and ChatGPT’s brand-new teen homework guardrails get put to the test. Show Notes with links: Carvana is showing that “best price” isn’t always the same thing as “best value.” Its growing new-car operation is routinely pricing vehicles above nearby franchised competitors and customers are still buying them faster, suggesting a streamlined, transparent experience can be worth real money. Ca…

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  • Episode artwork for “Ferrari’s $40M Luce, Group 1 Goes Local, Brand Loyalty Still Pays”
    EP 142612 minAug 18, 2026

    Ferrari’s $40M Luce, Group 1 Goes Local, Brand Loyalty Still Pays

    Episode #1426: Today, we talk about a $40 million charity bid for Ferrari’s new Luce EV. We also look at Group 1 Automotive’s strategy of building deeper dealership clusters and consolidating store names, plus new data showing brand-conscious shoppers are still willing to spend more for names they trust. Show Notes with links: Ferrari’s first production-spec Luce arrived at Monterey Car Week with an estimated auction value of around $1.1 million. Instead, the electric Ferrari sold for an extraordinary $40 million, with billionaire inventor and investor Dr. Herbert “Herbie” Wertheim placi…

    AppleSpotifyYouTubeEpisode page
  • Episode artwork for “Sonic Turns Volume Knob, China Has Too Many Cars, Polestar Gets Served”
    EP 142512 minAug 17, 2026

    Sonic Turns Volume Knob, China Has Too Many Cars, Polestar Gets Served

    Episode #1425: Sonic is turning down margin to turn up used-car volume, Chinese automakers are looking overseas as sales struggle at home, and a $25 million dealer lawsuit is challenging Polestar’s explanation for its potential U.S. exit. Show Notes with links: Sonic Automotive is betting that a little less gross can lead to a lot more cars sold in the back half of 2026. The retailer is leaning hard into used at both EchoPark and its franchised stores as affordability pushes shoppers toward vehicles carrying much friendlier price tags. Sonic is willing to trade some margin for volume…

    AppleSpotifyYouTubeEpisode page
  • Episode artwork for “Tesla Takes Back The EV Crown, Kia Goes Sub-$30K, NAMAD Takeaways”
    EP 142311 minAug 14, 2026

    Tesla Takes Back The EV Crown, Kia Goes Sub-$30K, NAMAD Takeaways

    Episode #1423: We’re wrapping up the week with EVs coming at the market from two very different angles: Tesla is back above 60% market share while Kia introduces a sub-$30K EV with over 300 miles of range. Plus, we close out our time at NAMAD with our biggest takeaways from the conference Show Notes with links: We're back home from NAMAD 2026. Thanks to CarRx for making our coverage possible. Learn more at https://www.carrx.com/ Tesla is suddenly looking a lot more like the Tesla of the early EV boom. As rivals retreat and the overall EV market contracts, Tesla grabbed 61.5% of June…

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  • Episode artwork for “Live from NAMAD Day 3, Dealers on A 50-Year Winning Streak”
    EP 142211 minAug 13, 2026

    Live from NAMAD Day 3, Dealers on A 50-Year Winning Streak

    Episode #1422: As NAMAD starts to wind down, we’re looking to the West Coast, where Steve Greenfield dropped a stat at Amplify that had the room go breathless. Show Notes with links: AI may be the shiny object, but the bigger story from Reynolds and Reynolds’ Amplify 2026 is what it could do to dealership profitability. Steve Greenfield and three dealers explored whether AI can finally move the industry beyond its remarkably consistent profit margins—or simply make great operators even better. Steve shared a stunning stat: For 50 years, the average American dealer hasn’t posted an annua…

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  • Episode artwork for “Live from NAMAD with Shane Wilson of CarRx”
    EP 14219 minAug 12, 2026

    Live from NAMAD with Shane Wilson of CarRx

    Episode #1421: We’re live from Miami at the 46th NAMAD Annual Meeting, where community, opportunity and the next generation of dealership ownership are front and center. Paul and Kyle sit down with CarRx President Shane Wilson to talk about customer retention, why the first service visit matters so much and how dealers can turn a vehicle sale into an 84-month relationship. Thanks to CarRx for making our coverage of NAMAD 2026 possible. Learn more at: https://www.carrx.com/ Show Notes with links: Dealers spend plenty of energy getting customers through the front door, but Shane Wilson,…

    AppleSpotifyYouTubeEpisode page
  • Episode artwork for “Ford Goes Cheap, Leases Come Home, AI Watches Your Back”
    EP 142010 minAug 11, 2026

    Ford Goes Cheap, Leases Come Home, AI Watches Your Back

    Episode #1420: Ford previews a $25K crossover for 2029, why the return of lease returns is great news for Penske, plus Nissan’s AI-powered factory cameras that are watching workers. Show Notes with links: Ford is circling back to the affordable end of the market with a small crossover aimed at a roughly $25,000 starting price. Expected in 2029 with both gas and hybrid powertrains, the unnamed utility would give Ford dealers a fresh entry point below the Maverick—and another weapon against the affordability crunch. Dealers got an early look at the crossover during a private Las Vegas mee…

    AppleSpotifyYouTubeEpisode page
  • Episode artwork for “Greenfield’s Reason for Optimism, VW Goes Trucking, EV Lease Hangover”
    EP 141915 minAug 10, 2026

    Greenfield’s Reason for Optimism, VW Goes Trucking, EV Lease Hangover

    Episode #1419: We’re kicking off the week with Steve Greenfield’s optimistic take on technology and AI, plus Volkswagen’s very American plan to grow its U.S. presence with a pickup truck, and EV lessees discovering their once-in-a-lifetime deals may actually have been once in a lifetime. Show Notes with links: Today we want to start our news by reading Steve Greenfield’s letter from his Intel Report email this morning. It’s a great way to start the week: As I prepared this week’s edition, I was reminded of the proverb “May you live in interesting times” (a saying often having less than…

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  • Episode artwork for “West Herr Subaru Turns Camp Day Into $25,000”
    11 minAug 8, 2026

    West Herr Subaru Turns Camp Day Into $25,000

    Episode #1418 Today, Chris joins Paul to talk about West Herr Subaru of Orchard Park and Lockport spending the day at Cradle Beach's Sunshine Day camp, playing games, making s'mores, and helping campers make bracelets. West Herr topped it off with a check for over $25,000 as part of Subaru Share the Love.

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