Lotus racing cars will be the spotlight marque for the inaugural 2015 Barber Historics weekend at Barber Motorsports Park May 15-17. Get all the latest auto industry news in the Executive Briefing.
Today’s headlines:
+ Volkswagen AG chairman Ferdinand Piech, whose family owns 51 percent of the company, has resigned after losing a power struggle with chief executive Martin Winterkorn. More at BBC News.
+ Harley-Davidson is recalling nearly 46,000 motorcycles in the U.S. to correct a hydraulic clutch defect that could cause starting in gear. More at CBS Money Watch.
+ General Motors will nominate Joseph Jimenez, CEO of Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis International, to join the board of directors, replacing the retiring E. Neville Isdell. More at The Detroit News.
+ Two pit crewmen for Richard Childress Racing were hospitalized after fire engulfed driver Brendan Gaughan’s pit stall in the NASCAR Xfinity series race in Richmond. More at Fox Sports.
+ The Twitter and consumer-relations email accounts at Tesla Motors were hacked over the weekend, allowing intruders to post prank messages to more than 464,000 followers. More at The Verge.
+ Jaguar Land Rover and parent company Tata Motors Ltd. of India are studying the construction of a $500 million luxury vehicle assembly plant in Mexico. More at Bloomberg.com.
+ French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron says he will “talk again” with Renault boss Carlos Ghosn, but reaffirmed his intention to boost the government’s voting rights in defiance of Ghosn’s wishes. More at Reuters.
+ At the inaugural Barber Historics at Barber Motorsports Park near Birmingham, Alabama on May 15-17, George Follmer will serve as grand marshall and Lotus is the featured marque. More at Hemmings Daily.
+ CEO Mary Barra received $16.2 million in total compensation from GM in 2014, the first year the automaker was free of government oversight. More at the Detroit Free Press.
+ Conor Daly, son of former IndyCar driver and broadcaster Derek Daly, will drive a third Schmidt Peterson Motorsports entry in the 2015 Indy 500. More at the Indianapolis Star.
Lotus photo courtesy of Barber Motorsports Park.
For the previous Executive Briefing from April 24, click here.