Renault and Caterham are working on a new sports car to be sold under both the Alpine and Caterham banners (Alpine A110-50 shown). Now the joint venture has expanded to include an SUV and a city car. Get all the latest industry news in the Executive Briefing.

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+   Shares of axle manufacturer Dana rose to a new high on buyback reports and improved analyst ratings. More here at Businessweek.

+   Pope Francis said it pains him to see priests driving flashy cars, instructing them to select more “humble” vehicles. More here at Yahoo! News.

+   Sales of hybrids and battery-electric vehicles surged in the first half of 2013, led by gains at Ford and Tesla. More here at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

+   Caterham and Renault are expanding their joint vehicle development program to include an SUV and a city car. More here at Cars UK.

+   The Red Bull F1 team was fined 30,000 Euros when a lost wheel on Mark Webber’s car injured a cameraman at the German Grand Prix. More here at Yahoo! Sport UK.

 +   The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is developing a central online database and search tool for vehicle recalls. More here at The Detroit News.

+   General Motors has reaffirmed its plan to move the Opel brand upmarket in Europe with Chevrolet slotting into the lower-priced segments. More here at Reuters.

+   Six drivers at the Pocono IndyCar event, including five Honda entries, were issued 10-place grid penalties for off-schedule engine changes. More here at Autosport.

For the previous Executive Briefing July 5, click here. 

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