Australian government officials are calling on General Motors to leave its Holden concept cars (2005 Efijy shown here) in the country, citing their national historic value. Get all the latest auto industry news in the Executive Briefing.
Today’s Headlines:
+ General Motors chairman and CEO Mary Barra unveiled a plan to invest $20 billion in electric and autonomous vehicles by 2025 and challenge Tesla for leadership in the EV market. More at The Detroit News.
+ With the Geneva Motor Show cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak, automakers relied on the internet to stage a number of new vehicle launches. More at Autoblog.
+ Former United Auto Workers president Gary Jones was charged with embezzling more than $1 million in union funds as the federal corruption probe continues. More at Reuters.
+ Former NASCAR CEO Brian France has filed a lawsuit against the operator of a parody Twitter account published under the name “Drunken Brian France.” More at Autoweek.
+ Reid Bigland, who heads the Ram truck brand for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles but recently filed a whistleblower lawsuit against the company, will exit effective April 3. More at the Detroit Free Press.
+ Aston Martin will replace its Mercedes AMG-sourced V8 engine with a 3.0-liter hybrid V6 the automaker will develop in house, asserting the new engine will make equal power. More at Car and Driver.
+ New car sales in Germany fell 11 percent to 239,943 vehicles in February, with Honda dropping 39 percent and Tesla slipping 37 percent, according to the KBA. More at Automotive News Europe.
+ Australian government officials are calling on General Motors to leave its Holden concept cars and historic items in the country rather than send them to the USA. More at Hemmings Daily.
+ The legality of Ferrari’s 2019 Formula 1 engine remains shrouded in controversy as the FIA reported that it was “not fully satisfied” that the units complied with regulations. More at Motorsport.com.
+ The first shipment of mid-engine 2020 Chevrolet Corvettes has left GM’s Bowling Green, Kentucky assembly plant for delivery at dealerships across the country. More at The Drive.
Review the previous Executive Briefing from March 2 here.
Photo by General Motors.
Have you joined Mac’s Motor City Garage on Facebook? It’s lots of fun with rare photos, lore, trivia, and great discussions. Click here to go the page and join MCG. Be sure to check out our companion Facebook group MOTOROLOGY, too, and our latest page, Friends of Mac’s Motor City Garage.