MCG Executive Briefing for June 17, 2016

2016 Ford GT Le MansIn its historic return to Le Mans, the Ford GT has snatched the pole position in the GTE-Pro category for the 2016 edition of the 24-hour classic. Get all the latest auto industry news in the Executive Briefing. 

 

 

Today’s headlines: 

+   Porsche SE,  the holding company controlled by the Porsche and Piech families and Volkswagen AG’s chief shareholder, will not block a scheduled dividend payment at the annual VW shareholder meeting next week. More at Reuters. 

+   General Motors has appointed a new roster of public-relations agencies to represent its Cadillac, Chevrolet, Buick, and GMC divisions. More at The Detroit News. 

+   Promising to spend $2.2 billion in the region, BMW has broken ground on a new $1 billion plant in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, which will build 150,000 3 Series cars annually. More at Yahoo! Finance. 

+   Linamar Corporation, Canada’s second-largest auto parts maker, has talked with Apple Inc. and Google about potentially supplying the technology giants for series auto production. More at Bloomberg.com. 

+  In its first trip to Le Mans, the Ford GT has earned the pole position in the GTE-Pro category in the 2016 edition of the 24-hour classic. More at Racer. 

+   The government of Ontario will provide $66.5 million in in funding to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Canada to expand the automaker’s Windsor minivan assembly plant. More at Automotive Business Review. 

+   CEO Matthias Mueller reports that Volkswagen Group will introduce 30 plug-in electric models by 2025 as the automaker reshapes its global product strategy. More at USA Today. 

+   Mexico-based transmission maker Tremec will build a $54 million manufacturing plant in Wixom, Michigan, just outside Detroit, creating 133 jobs. More at Crain’s Detroit Business. 

+   At Road America In Wisconsin, 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski tested Penske teammate Simon Pagenaud’s Dallara Indy car. More at Fox Sports. 

+   Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and its Mopar brand have introduced the 2016 Ram Rebel 1500, a kitted-out pickup to be offered in a limited run of 500 units at $52,460. More at Autoblog.

Review the previous Executive Briefing from June 13 here.

Photo courtesy of Ford Performance. 

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