Ford is seeking government approval to sell the Lincoln Nautilus in the U.S. due to its Chinese software. Get all the latest auto industry news in the Executive Briefing.
Today’s headlines:
+ General Motors and Ford are actively expanding their defense operations to capitalize on the growing military demand and create new opportunities for U.S. manufacturers. More at CBT News.
+ Battery electric vehicle registrations in Europe reached a record 23.6 percent market share in May 2026, with 212,387 units sold across 17 key markets, a 34.4 percent rise. More at Automotive World.
+ Ferrari chief marketing officer Enrico Galliera denied reports that Ferrari is requiring customers to buy the Luce EV to move up the waiting list for the Special Series models. More at The Drive.
+ Porsche Motorsport VP Thomas Laudenbach confirmed that the decision to end the brand’s FIA WEC Hypercar effort remains unchanged, but it is open to a possible return. More at Racer.
+ General Motors could end production of the Silverado 1500 pickup at its Oshawa, Ontario plant, leaving only heavy-duty Silverado 2500 and 3500 rolling down the lines there. More at Motor Illustrated.
+ Stellantis holds a 9.5 percent stake worth $126 million in U.S. solid-state battery startup Factorial Energy and might buy more shares in the future, a SEC filing showed. More at World Auto Forum.
+ The editors at Car and Driver declared the 1,250-hp Corvette ZR1X the quickest production vehicle they have ever tested with a quarter-mile time of 8.9 seconds at 155 mph. More at Car and Driver.
+ A driver told Harris County, Texas investigators that his Tesla was on Autopilot before it left the road, crashed through the brick wall of a home, and killed a 76-year-old woman inside. More at Electrek.
+ Ford Motor Company is seeking government approval to market the China-built Lincoln Nautilus in the United States due to security restrictions on its Chinese software. More at Autoblog.
+ NASCAR and IndyCar veteran AJ Allmendinger confirmed that he plans to continue driving for Kaulig Racing in NASCAR Cup in 2027, saying, “I’m not going anywhere.” More at Yahoo! Sports.
Photo courtesy of Lincoln.
Review the previous MCG Executive Briefing from June 19 here.
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>> denied reports that Ferrari is requiring customers to buy the Luce EV to move up
Does that really matter? I’m sure that I’ve read reports saying that Ferrari requires you to prove your worthiness by requiring you to buy a lesser Ferrari before you qualify for one of the special ones. Does it matter that those are gas rather than electric? If the Luce turns out to be marketable, they’ll add it to the requirements. Imagine the uproar if Ford said that you had to buy a Maverick in order to qualify for an F-150.
>> leaving only heavy-duty Silverado 2500 and 3500 rolling down the lines
I thought they just cancelled the 3500. Is that not the one they co-build with International?
Ford is officially scrambling to save the 2027 Lincoln Nautilus. This exact vehicle has just now become the new poster child for our next Loophole Cascade!! The U.S. Commerce Department’s final rule banning Chinese software in connected vehicles goes into effect for Model Year 2027. Ford plans to begin importing the ’27 Nautilus from its Changan Ford plant in Hangzhou, China, in January. This leaves the company in a desperate race against a ticking regulatory clock. Commerce historically treats loophole requests with a “presumption of denial”, and of course operates under no public disclosure rules for any decisions. If the Commerce Department denies this waiver (or wins the coin flip), Ford will be legally blocked from selling its flagship luxury crossover in its home market…
A “presumption of denial” is a formal review posture used in U.S. import/export controls where the BIS evaluates waiver requests with the expectation that it should be denied unless the applicant overcomes that default with “extraordinary justification.” This is explicitly used for entities or transactions considered national‑security risks under 15 CFR §744.11.
In theory, any automaker importing China‑built connected vehicles for MY2027 must be waivered by BIS including Ford, and potentially Volvo/Polestar, Buick Envista, Chevy Equinox EV, and others if they intend to sell MY2027 units with Chinese‑installed software, but so far no it appears no such waivers have been issued by Commerce.
To clarify, there is NO public evidence that any 2027MY waivers have been issued so far. In other words, Ford’s ’27 Nautilus isn’t just a Commerce Dept regulatory test case, it’s our first visible sign of a much larger Loophole Cascade forming beneath the surface…