MCG Executive Briefing for August 18, 2023

Acura unveiled its first EV, the 2024 XDV crossover, built on a GM Ultium platform and priced at $60,000. Get all the latest auto industry news in the Executive Briefing.

 

Today’s headlines:

+   Ford has unveiled the Mustang GTD with 800 hp and all carbon-fiber bodywork, which sould be available in late 2024 or early 2025 at a starting price around $300,000. More at CNN Business. 

 Electric vehicle batteries and other automotive components are the latest products under scrutiny in Washington’s effort to stamp out U.S. links to forced labor in Chinese supply chains. More at Reuters. 

+   The state of Texas will require charging networks to add Tesla’s NACS connector to new stations in order to qualify for a portion of state-controlled federal tax subsidies. More at The Drive.

 In the  automaker’s debut on the U.S. Nasdaq exchange this week, shares in Vietnamese EV startup Vinfast soared to $37.06, equalling a market capitalization of $85 billion. More at CNBC. 

In a letter to the FIA, former Ferrari Formula 1 driver Felipe Massa accused the governing body of a conspiracy and declared that he, not Lewis Hamilton, is the true 2008 champion. More at AP.  

 The Ford Blue Cruise driver assistance system hardware will now come standard on capable vehicles, with the service activated  through subscriptions at multiple price tiers. More at Autoweek. 

 In new crash data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), only the Honda Accord earned a “Good” rating among six midsize sedans for rear passenger safety. More at Autoblog.  

+   Harris Mann, the former British Leyland chief designer whose credits include the Austin Princess and Triumph TR7 and who also had a hand in the original Ford Escort, has passed away at 85. More at Hemmings. 

 A number of Michigan dealers selling Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram vehicles will soon begin to offer used and remanufactured parts through a Stellantis program called B-Parts. More at the Detroit Free Press. 

+   Honda’s premium Acura division introduced its first EV, the XDV crossover, which is built on General Motors’ Ultium platform, offers 325 miles of range, and starts at $60,000. More at InsideEVs. 

 After two seasons, IndyCar driver Jack Harvey has been released from Rahal Letterman Lanigan racing effective immediately, with Conor Daly taking the seat for now. More at Speed Sport. 

Photo courtesy of Acura. 

Review the previous MCG Executive Briefing from August 14 here. 

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