Volkswagen is reportedly planning to produce a pickup truck for the United States. Get all the latest auto industry news in the Executive Briefing.
Today’s headlines:
+ Volkswagen’s top investor and controlling family shareholders called on the auto giant to take immediate action to fend off intensifying competition from Chinese car brands. More at CNBC.
+ Reportedly. Honda is outsourcing the development of a new vehicle platform to Tata Technologies of India, a division of the industrial giant that owns Jaguar and Land Rover. More at Motor Illustrated.
+ Four Senate Republicans introduced resolutions to overturn EPA waivers that allow the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to set its own vehicle emissions standards. More at CBT News.
+ Porsche Motorsport Vice President Thomas Laudenbach confirmed the two-car Penske IMSA racing program will continue as planned despite company budget cuts. More at Motorsport.com.
+ German auto suppliers are more indebted and spend more on interest than their international rivals as competition from China intensifies, according to an upcoming study. More at Reuters.
+ Dodge is offering a new program called Color Jailbreak in which Charger buyers will be able to select from a far more extensive list of paint colors than in the factory catalog. More at The Drive.
+ Clemson University graduate students have developed a solar EV prototype engineered to generate more power than it consumes during a typical urban commute. More at Autoblog.
+ Acura announced it will reveal a new concept car at Monterey Car Week to preview a design language that the Honda brand says will shape its future model range. More at Automotive World.
+ Volkswagen is reportedly planning to produce and market a pickup truck in the United States, which would be assembled in VW’s Chattanooga, Tennessee, plant. More at Car and Driver.
+ Joe Custer, chief operating officer of Haas Factory Team, said its NASCAR Cup charter is not for sale and it remains committed to competing as a single-car operation. More at Yahoo! Sports.
Photo courtesy of Volkswagen.
Review the previous MCG Executive Briefing from August 7 here.
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>> Volkswagen is reportedly planning to produce a pickup truck
That looks like every other pickup truck. Whatever happened to stylists and brand language? And like every other pickup, it looks like it has a boxer engine standing on end.
Why do we still have a driveline hump when seating is so tall and everything is front wheel drive? Take a look at 50s and 60s FWD and you don’t see that.