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We’ve got that Friday feeling as we’re talking about Lincoln’s new President and trajectory. We also cover a great collab to get techs into service bays, as well as a brand new electric motorcycle. 

• Lincoln's new president, Dianne Craig, is ready to revitalize the luxury brand by refocusing its EV strategy, updating products to attract customers, and reducing its dealer network.  
  • Craig emphasizes the need for exclusive Lincoln dealerships, acknowledging that the current 637 dealer network is too large and is making a push for less dual branded stores w Ford
    • Craig declined to say how many stores the brand should have but suggested it could be around 356, the number of dealers who have signed up for Lincoln's electric vehicle certification program.
    • Craig said "No declarations on how many or confirming what was stated in the past," she said. "It's not my focus. My focus isn't on the timing or how many; it's making sure we get the EVs right."
• According to NADA 39,000 new service techs graduate from U.S. technical colleges and training programs every year…. but industry needs 76,000 to replace those who quit or retire. That’s why a new collaboration between NADA and the Urban League is so timely as the new pilot initiative aims to recruit, train, and place minority technicians in apprenticeship roles at local dealerships
  • Hand selected candidates will begin with a 4 week professional and life skills training program provided by the Urban League of Louisiana, then will shadow service personnel at participating dealerships while studying automotive technology at local community colleges
  • The program lasts 18 months and includes ASE and OEM certifications. Upon completion, the trained mechanics will work at dealerships as technician apprentices.
  • “This pilot program is the first step in what we hope will one day be a national program to recruit, train and place trained technicians in dealerships across the country,” says the NADA foundation’s chairwoman Annette Sykora, owner of Smith Auto Family in Levelland, TX
• We talk about EVs a lot, but now that Spring is here and all those motorcycles are starting to come out, we wanted to show some love and talk about the new electric motorcycles by Harley Davidson spinoff, LiveWire 
  • It’s the first bike fully developed after the split and does 0-60 in 3.1, has a range of about 100 miles, and fully charges in 30 mins at level 3 and 75 mins at level 2
  • Comes in just under $16k w deliveries expected in July
  • The journalist/enthusiast who test drove it for the article loved it

Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.

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