MCG Executive Briefing for January 8, 2021

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles rolled out its fifth-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee, including a long-wheelbase L model with three-row seating. Get all the latest auto industry news in the Executive Briefing. 

 

Today’s Headlines:

+   Ford Motor Co. posted a 9.8 percent quarterly decline in U.S. auto sales as greater demand for SUVs failed to overcome a slide in demand for the company’s pickups. More at Reuters. 

+  The fifth-gen Jeep Grand Cherokee L with third-row seating will go on sale in the second quarter of 2021, with two-row and hybrid models to be available by year’s end. More at Autoblog. 

+   California governor Gavin Newsom’s $4.5 billion economic stimulus plan for the state includes $1.5 billion in financial incentives for electric and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles. More at CNBC.  

 The former Racing Point Formula 1 team, now rebranded as Aston Martin, will drop its current pink livery for the green of its new sponsor, Cognizant Technology Solutions. More at Motorsport.com. 

 Despite a strong rebound from the COVID-19 outbreak in China, General Motors posted a third straight year of declining sales in the nation at 2.9 million vehicles. More at The Detroit News. 

+   Mercedes-Benz has unveiled a hyperscreen infotainment display for the forthcoming EQ electic sedan made up of three screens that stretch 56 inches across the dash. More at Car and Driver. 

 Hollywood actor David Hasselhoff, star of the 1982-86 TV show Knight Rider, is selling his own 1982 Pontiac Trans Am K.I.T.T replica, offering to deliver it personally. More at The Drive. 

 Rear-facing automatic emergency braking systems are producing significant savings in collision repairs, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). More at CNET Roadshow. 

+   Volvo plans to triple the production volume of electric vehicles at its assembly plant in Ghent, Belgium where the XC40 Recharge SUV is currently manufactured. More at Autoweek. 

 Ueal Eugene ‘Pat’ Patrick, a petroleum wildcatter who co-founded the CART series and won the Indianapolis 500 three times as a team owner, has passed away at age 91. More at Autosport.

Review the previous Executive Briefing from January 4 here.

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