Ford has filed suit against a firm that rebodies new Broncos with vintage sheet metal. Get all the latest auto industry news in the Executive Briefing.
Today’s headlines:
+ Northvolt, the Swedish maker of battery cells for the electric vehicle industry, announced that it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States. More at U.S. News & World Report.
+ Jaguar has launched a radical rebranding and image-building campaign to reposition the historic automaker as an ultra-luxury EV brand competing with Rolls-Royce and Bentley. More at Car and Driver
+ Mercedes-Benz plans to cut costs by several billion dollars per year in the coming years, the German newspaper Handelsblatt reported, though the methods are unspecified. More at Reuters.
+ NEOM McLaren Electric Racing director and Formula E team principal Ian James is taking on an additional role as director of motorsport at McLaren Automotive, replacing Mick McDonagh. More at Racer.
+ Hyundai officially unveiled the latest addition to its Ioniq lineup, the 2026 Ioniq 9, a three-row, seven-passenger SUV that is now the largest EV in the Korean carmaker’s portfolio. More at CBT News.
+ Volkswagen AG workers across Germany are planning mass walkouts early next month after labor leaders and management failed to reach an agreement over how to slash costs. More at The Detroit News.
+ Order books for the 2025 Jeep Wrangler are now open with a $300 price bump to $33,900, a new Willys ’41 limited edition, and V8 and manual transmission still available. More at Motor Authority.
+ Ford has filed suit against a firm called Vintage Broncos that rebodies new Broncos with vintage sheet metal, alleging that the practice endangers the automaker’s reputation. More at The Drive.
+ In January 2025, Honda will begin producing solid-state EV batteries in limited volume in a new experimental plant at one of its research and development facilities in Japan. More at The Drive.
+ With Gordon Smith moving up to majority owner and CEO, JTG Daugherty Racing will be rebranded as HYAK Motorsports beginning with the 2025 NASCAR Cup season. More at Sports Illustrated.
Photo courtesy of Vintage Broncos.
Review the previous MCG Executive Briefing from November 18 here.
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