Episode #1268: Today we cover Lithia’s reluctance to sell Chinese brands in the U.S., Stellantis quietly bringing diesel back to Europe as EV demand cools, and how companies like Canva and Meta are now testing job candidates on how well they use AI instead of banning it.
Show Notes with links:
- Lithia Motors CEO Bryan DeBoer signaled the company is not planning to be an early retailer of Chinese vehicles in the U.S. or Canada, citing the lack of a built-in service base to support long-term profitability.
- DeBoer said without an established fleet of vehicles on the road, new Chinese brands would not provide the recurring service traffic dealerships rely on.
- After-sales generated 41% of Lithia’s gross profit in 2025 with a 58% gross margin.
- Lithia currently sells several Chinese brands in the U.K., including BYD, MG, Chery, Leapmotor and Jaecoo, across a “double-digit” number of stores.
- DeBoer said entering the U.S. market would require a broader partnership with a Chinese automaker, including greater control over after-sales operations and potentially pricing, in order to make the economics work without an existing service base.
- Stellantis is quietly reintroducing diesel engines across at least seven models in Europe, positioning the automaker against Chinese EV competitors and responds to sustained customer demand.
- Diesel accounted for just 7.7% of European new car sales in 2025, compared to 19.5% for fully electric vehicles, but remains a lower-cost alternative for high-mileage and towing customers.
- Chris Knapman, CarGurus UK editorial director: “If you're a European brand looking to differentiate yourself, diesel is an area where you could have a competitive advantage over those newer brands.”
- A growing number of companies are no longer trying to prevent candidates from using AI during interviews — they’re encouraging it. Firms like Canva, Meta and McKinsey are redesigning hiring processes to evaluate how well applicants work with AI tools.
- Canva reworked technical interviews to allow — and expect — AI use, focusing on complex problems where candidates must show how they interact with the tool, not just the output.
- Candidates share their screens or submit AI chat transcripts so interviewers can evaluate judgment, iteration and decision-making.
- Arcade, an IT startup, now expects candidates to use AI in take-home exercises, emphasizing a candidate’s “taste” and ability to refine AI-generated work.
- Meta is developing AI-assisted coding interviews, and McKinsey is piloting case interviews using its internal AI tool, Lilli.
- “What we're testing for now … is an ability to harness that power, to control that power — to kind of ride the dragon,” said Canva CTO Brendan Humphreys.
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