Ferrari and Alfa Romeo will announce a deal in the next month in which Ferrari will assist Alfa in future production car engine development, says Fiat boss Sergio Marchionne. See this auto industry news and more in today’s Executive Briefing. 

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+   Chrysler’s net earnings jumped to $1.67 billion in 2012, a nine-fold increase over last year. More here at The New York Times. 

+   Former Volkswagen AG executive Karl-Thomas Neumann is the new chief executive at Opel. More here at Bloomberg.com. 

+   Ferrari will take an active role in the development of future Alfa Romeo engines, says Fiat boss Sergio Marchionne. More here at MotorAuthority.com.

 +   Autonation, America’s largest private car dealer chain, will drop local and traditional dealership names and adopt the Autonation brand for its stores. More here at CNNMoney. 

+   General Motors will consolidate its engine operations in Pontiac, Michigan with $200 million in new investment, while relocating the Performance Build Center from Wixom, Michigan to Bowling Green, Kentucky. More here at The Detroit Bureau. 

+   The International Hot Rod Association has been purchased by the owners of the Memphis and Palm Beach drag strips. More here at FayObserver.com.  

+  Volkswagen has generated media controversy with its Jamaican accent-themed Super Bowl commercial. More here at The Washington Post. 

+   NASCAR will switch from jet-engine track driers for 2013 to compressed-air technology  in an effort to shorten rain delays. More here at the Sporting News.

For the previous Executive Briefing from Jan. 28, click here.

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