A Mercedes W196R driven by Juan Fangio will make a rare appearance outside Germany next week. Get all the latest auto industry news in the Executive Briefing.
Today’s headlines:
+ The U.S. government should block the import of low-cost Chinese autos and parts from Mexico, says the Alliance for American Manufacturing, a U.S. industry advocacy group. More at Reuters.
+ California-based EV maker Lucid Motors is planning a $10 million engineering and research office in Southfield, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, that would open in April. More at The Detroit News.
+ Along with its simulated exhaust sound, the Dodge Charger EV will feature simulated vibration to mimic a traditional internal-combustion V8, according to a supplier’s patent filing. More at Autoblog.
+ Wilson Fittipaldi Jr., Formula 1 driver in 1972-75, co-owner of the Fittipaldi Copersucar F1 team, and brother of world champion Emerson Fittipaldi, has passed away at 80. More at the The Sun.
+ Volkswagen is recalling 260,000 Audi and Volkswagen vehicles from the 2010 through 2015 model years to correct a potential seal defect in the fuel tank suction jet pump. More at Car and Driver.
+ Ford has halted shipments of all 2024 model year F-150 Lightning electric pickup trucks to perform quality inspections, but as yet it has not specified the potential issue. More at World Auto Forum.
+ Share prices in Carvana surged 30 percent last week after the used-car retailer posted its first-ever annual profit and received a pair of upgrades from Wall Street analysts. More at CNBC.
+ The no. 8 Mercedes W196R Formula 1 racer driven by Juan Manuel Fangio will make a rare appearance in the United States at ModaMiami in Coral Cables, Florida next week. More at The Drive.
+ According to a recently published 2021 patent filing, Rivian is developing software that would allow its electric vehicles to flat-towed with all four wheels on the pavement. More at Motor Authority.
+ Dale Coyne Racing, which has yet to name its driver lineup for 2024, has tabbed IndyCar veteran Jack Harvey and IMSA champion Colin Braun for the final pre-season test. More at Racer.
Photo courtesy of Mercedes Heritage.
Review the previous MCG Executive Briefing from February 23 here.
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The U.S. auto industry needs trade barriers, but it’s more than likely they will not take advantage of them to become more competitive. It’s frustrating.
The US auto industry need to get off their a$$e$, and do what made them what they were. Drop all the frills, and make GOOD, affordable cars. Leave the fancy crap to the people that can afford it.
The workers DO need to get their share for their work, but they need to wise up, and take some responsibility. They seem to forget that when they demand and get more, the rest of us is going to pay for it. Not the corporations. They just raise the prices to the end user. Not everyone works shoulder to shoulder with them. We don’t get the pay raises and bonuses they demand. But we are stuck paying the higher prices. The whole industry is responsible for killing off their real customer base.
This isn’t just the auto industry though, they are the ones that make it on the news.
Fake noise, fake vibrations for a fake car nobody will want to buy.
Goodbye Chrysler, it was nice knowing ya.