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 Toyota has shrunk to just over 100,000 vehicles through July, with each selling roughly 1.5 million vehicles this year.

  • Toyota is growing with models like the Camry and Corolla, while GM has largely exited traditional sedans in favor of trucks and SUVs.

  • GM’s factory utilization has fallen to 73%, compared with 91.9% for Toyota, even as GM tracks toward near-record operating profits.

  • Toyota is also expanding U.S. production, including shifting a $1.5 billion battery order to a Lansing plant that GM walked away from.

  • Cox Automotive’s Charlie Chesbrough: “Maybe the naysayers were correct that Toyota is going to take over the U.S. market.”

• Used EVs are getting easier to find, and buyers are responding. July sales jumped more than 10% year-over-year as lease returns and trade-ins brought additional inventory to dealer lots, while higher gas prices may be giving electric vehicles another boost.

  • 36,810 used EVs sold in July, up 10.1% year-over-year and 7.9% from June.

  • Supply reached 46 days, up 13.6% year-over-year and slightly higher than used ICE vehicles for the first time since February.

  • Ford led high-volume brands with 18.9% month-over-month sales growth, while Chevrolet, Nissan and Cadillac also gained traction.

  • Average used EV listing prices were $37,832, up 8.3% from last year but down 1.2% from June.

  • Cox’s Jonathan Gregory: “Off-lease EV supply…continues to build and gives buyers more choice.”

• BMW is finding out there’s a fine line between a connected car and a connected billboard. A Spider-Man promotion appearing on BMW dashboard screens sparked backlash from owners who weren’t thrilled to see promotional content inside vehicles they already paid premium prices to own.

  • The two-week promotion ran in more than 70 countries, displaying a Spider-Man banner when owners started their vehicles.

  • Owners quickly pushed back online, with one Reddit user writing: “You spent $100,000 on a 7 series…but that’s not enough money for BMW.”

  • BMW says it wasn’t advertising, calling it optional themed content available through its Festive App while vehicles were stationary.

  • The opportunity is significant: infotainment-enabled digital aftersales are projected to become a nearly $14 billion global market by 2030.

  • IDC’s Roger Beharry Lall: “It’s not just about the revenue stream. It’s about balancing that against your brand.”