Five-time Brickyard 400 winner Jeff Gordon will drive the Arctic White Corvette Z06 pace car in the Indianapolis 500 on May 24. Get all the latest auto industry news in the Executive Briefing.
Today’s headlines:
+ General Motors will add 650 jobs and invest $5.4 billion in its U.S. factories through 2017, including $783.5 million at three Michigan plants. More at The Detroit News.
+ Fiat Chrysler Automobiles reported a $101.2 million profit in the first quarter of 2015, compared to a $173 million loss for the same period last year. More at USA Today.
+ Following the resignation of Volkswagen chairman Ferdinand Piech, the family is now clashing over the appointment of two nieces, Louise Kiesling and Julia Kuhn-Piech, to the automaker’s supervisory board. More at Reuters.
+ The United Auto Workers union has increased its membership at the Chattanooga, Tennessee Volkswagen plant to 55 percent of the work force, according the union’s latest disclosure with the U.S. Department of Labor. More at The New York Times.
+ Honda has unveiled the Super Speedway aerodynamic package its teams will use in the 2015 Indianapolis 500 this month. More at the Indianapolis Star.
+ Citing short supplies of the latest F-150 pickup, Ford reported $924 million in earnings for the first quarter of this year, a 7 percent decline versus 1Q 2014. More at the Detroit Free Press.
+ Lime Rock Park in Connecticut will mark its 60th year in operation in 2017 with the completion of $3 million in race track renovations. More at Hemmings Daily.
+ Jean Todt, the 69-year-old former Scuderia Ferrari boss and current FIA president, has been named the United Nations special envoy for road safety. More at Autoblog.
+ The proposed 2016 Formula One schedule includes 21 events, the season opener in Australia pushed back to April 3, and a race in Baku, Azerbaijan on July 17. More at Fox Sports.
+ For the 13th time, a Chevrolet Corvette will serve as pace car for the Indianapolis 500, this year with NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon as the driver. More at Motor Trend.
For the previous Executive Briefing from April 27, click here.