This 1904 Napier Samson will be among the star attractions at the Bonhams|Cars Amelia Island sale. Get all the latest auto industry news in the Executive Briefing.
Today’s headlines:
+ Ford CEO Jim Farley has assembled a special “skunkworks” team led by former Tesla engineer Alan Clarke to develop a low-cost EV to compete with the Tesla Model 3 and Y. More at The Drive.
+ At the Chicago Auto Show, Kia unveiled the 2025 Carnival minivan with refreshed styling and an available hybrid powertrain shared with the Sorento and Sportage SUVs. More at Autoblog.
+ Volkswagen still plans to launch 25 electric vehicle models in North America across its group brands by 2030 but will adapt as necessary, says VW of America CEO Pablo Di Si. More at Reuters.
+ The British Grand Prix will remain on the Formula 1 schedule at the historic Silverstone circuit until at least the 2034 season, following the signing of a 10-year contract extension. More at Racer.
+ During this weekend’s Superbowl LVIII broadcast, BMW will air a commercial featuring actor Christopher Walken, while Volkswagen, Kia, and Toyota will also be running ads. More at Motor Trend.
+ General Motors named Kurt Kelty, a battery expert and former Tesla executive, as vice president of batteries reporting directly to president Mark Reuss, the company announced. More at The Detroit News.
+ Following rumors of a possible merger between Stellantis and Renault, the French government has affirmed that it will support Renault in its efforts to remain independent. More at Motor Illustrated.
+ The Chrysler brand at Stellantis is teasing images of a wildly styled EV concept in advance of a formal introduction on February 13, though no technical details have been revealed. More at Autoweek.
+ The 1904 Napier Samson N48 that ran 104 mph at Ormand Beach, Florida in 1905 will be among the star consignments at the Bonham|Cars Amelia Island sale on Feb. 29. More at Old Cars.
+ IndyCar officials are weighing a plan to gaurantee full-time teams a starting spot in the Indianapolis 500, an idea favored by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Roger Penske. More at IndyStar.
Photo courtesy of Bonhams.
Review the previous MCG Executive Briefing from February 5 here.
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Guaranteed entries for the Indy 500? That’s what caused the CART/IRL split! Or so they said!
Humm…..I seem to remember the last time Renault merged with anybody, it was AMC, which was absorbed by Chrysler who in turn merged into Stellantis. How did that work out? Not too good! So now Stellantis is thinking about a new merger with Renault, who almost sank Chrysler as well as themselves? I guess it really is true, Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it!