Lotus has introduced a road-legal Sprint version of the Elise that weighs only 1,759 lbs thanks to a lithium battery, carbon fiber racing seats, and other weight-shaving features. Get all the latest auto industry news in the Executive Briefing.
Today’s headlines:
+ Jeff Jones, president of the troubled ride-sharing service Uber, has resigned from the company after six months, citing philosophical and management differences. More at USA Today.
+ Former Volkswagen chairman Ferdinand Piëch is in talks to sell his shares in Porsche SE, the holding company that controls the carmaking empire. More at the Financial Times.
+ Ford will invest $644 million in its Saarlouis Vehicle Assembly Operations plant in Germany, where the automaker will produce its next-generation Focus. More at The Detroit News.
+ Former Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone says he no longer has any influence on management of the sport, despite his title of Chairman Emeritus with new owner Liberty Media. More at Racer.
+ In April, Tesla Motors will discontinue the least expensive version of the Model S sedan, the 60 S, which is limited to 60 kilowatt-hours of battery capacity. More at CNBC.
+ PSA Group’s acquisition of Opel gives the French carmaker greater scale to pursue global expansion, family shareholder Jean-Philippe Peugeot told the German weekly Welt am Sonntag. More at Reuters.
+ The first 1965 Mustang coupe by serial number (1000002) will be offered at the Mecum Auctions Indianapolis sale on May 16-21, where it is expected to bring $450,000 to $650,000. More at Hemmings Daily.
+ Hyundai has issued a recall for nearly 978,000 U.S.-market Sonatas from the 20111 through 2015 model years to correct a potential defect in the front seat belt anchors. More at MLive.
+ Lotus has introduced a featherweight Sprint version of the Elise that weighs only 1,759 lbs, trimming 90 lbs from the standard Elise with a lithium battery and other measures. More at Motor Trend.
+ The remaining assets of the former Manor Formula 1 team have gone to auction, including four chassis, a scale wind tunnel model, and a paddock hospitality unit. More at Fox Sports.
Review the previous Executive Briefing from March 17 here.
Photo by Lotus.
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Will Peugeot use its larger global footprint to enter the U.S. market?
Buick is replacing the current Regal with a rebadged Opel Insignia. One can assume that PSA will be watching it’s progress.
I think the Opel marque has been out of the US for too long for PSA to be able build a beachead off the name. If they remember, it’s likely the chintzy Opel by Isuzu that comes to mind and not the Manta. Probably best to lead off with a quirky premium-priced Citroen. It’s worth noting that Nissan has never tried to bring Renault back to the US, but it would probably cannibalize their sales.