The historic Dunlop Bridge at Le Mans will be replaced by a Goodyear-themed bridge. Get all the latest auto industry news in the Executive Briefing.
Today’s headlines:
+ According to a report from credit agency Experian, the average monthly payment on a new car in the U.S. in 2025 is $748, up from $700 in 2022, while the average term is 69 months. More at Car and Driver.
+ Canada is unlikely to reach a near-term deal with the United States to reduce tariffs on steel, aluminum, and other sectors, Prime Minister Mark Carney said in Ottawa. More at CBT News.
+ Ford is recalling nearly 273,000 EVs and hybrids due to a software issue in their integrated park modules that could result in the vehicles rolling away without warning. More at ABC News.
+ Despite suffering a broken leg in a skiing accident, veteran NASCAR Cup driver and RFK Racing co-owner Brad Keselowski expects to race in the Daytona 500 in February. More at Autoweek.
+ Chris Brooks, chief of staff to United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain, is resigning his post following an unfavorable report by the monitor overseeing the union’s operations. More at World Auto Forum.
+ Stellantis announced that with all the regulatory hurdles cleared, the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat with 710 horsepower is now legal for sale in all 50 states, including California. More at Yahoo! Autos.
+ BYD of China reports it has produced its 15 millionth new energy vehicle (NEV, indicating EV or hybrid), marking the jump from 10 million to 15 million vehicles in just 13 months. More at Automotive World.
+ Toyota announced plans to introduce three vehicles manufactured at its American plants in Japan in 2026. the Camry sedan, Highlander SUV, and Tundra full-size pickup. More at Motor Illustrated.
+ The Automobile Club de l’Ouest and Goodyear jointly announced that the historic Dunlop Bridge at Le Mans will be replaced by a Goodyear bridge built on the existing structure. More at The Drive.
+ Appointed in mid-January, Maurizio Leschiutta will step down as Lamborghini’s head of motorsport at the end of the year, with Rouven Mohr set to take over on an interim basis. More at Racer.
Photo courtesy of Porsche.
Review the previous MCG Executive Briefing from December 19 here.
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You could build a McDonalds on that spot and I’m still going to call it the Dunlop Bridge. And no matter what color you paint it or who sponsors it, it will remain the Big Green Wall at Fenway Park.
Nice to see that Ford respects it’s historical past and continues the tradition of a recall every other week.
going to blow another billion or more chasing the foolish idea it can prevail in F1. Farley is a joke just like his cousin was.
They’ve done the F1 thing before. The Stewart-Ford-Jaguar team ran 176 races 1997-2004 with twenty-three wins. That’s not a bad record but I’m sure they eventually must have realized there were better things to do with their money than run an irrelevant and pompous race series that had very little crossover to production. I see no reason for them to try again. But then, I’m an American and am not in touch with what is needed to be successful in Europe.
I like Ford and consider GM to be even more lost. I was a shareholder for thirty years until this year’s recall debacle convinced me they would not be returning to glory anytime soon. I don’t know where their real problems lie but I can’t support an automobile company that prefers to build trucks.
Why do ‘lectric vehicles need a “park” or “neutral” on a “gear shift” selector? Golf carts, electric locomotives, steamships & space craft don’t use ’em.
The end game of this post-modern disaster called automotive safety in the green new deal era certainly becomes clearer when one discovers NHTSA Rulemaking defers it’s authority to the United Nations Global Technical Regulations (international safety standards created by the UNECE, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe).
God only knows who or what private equity is actually running NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) & Enforcement nowadays…