Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing scored Toyota’s first Sprint Cup championship in the 2015 NASCAR season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Get all the latest auto industry news in the Executive Briefing.
Today’s headlines:
+ The United Auto Workers ratified a new four-year contract with General Motors after the union and GM agreed to language clarification regarding skilled trades classifications. More at The Detroit News.
+ At Ford, United Auto Workers members narrowly ratified a four-year contract that is among the richest in the history of collective bargaining between the two parties. More at CNN Money.
+ Volkswagen AG has slashed $1.1 billion from its 2016 investment plan as its emissions cheating scandal expanded to include tens of thousands more U.S. vehicles. More at Reuters.
+ Toyota driver Kyle Busch won the final race of the 2015 season at Homestead Miami Speedway, sealing his first NASCAR Sprint Cup championship. More at USA Today.
+ Daimler Trucks will invest about $475 million in the Detroit area, creating 330 jobs and bringing assembly of two new engines to its Redford, Michigan Detroit Diesel plant. More at the Detroit Free Press.
+ Kia Motors has completed the construction of its $3 billion manufacturing plant in Pesqueria, just outside Monterrey in Nuevo Leon, Mexico. More at Automotive Business Review.
+ British track car manufacturer Zenos Cars unveiled a new R version of its E10 sports racer with 350 horsepower in a 1,550-pound chassis. More at Autoblog.
+ A new compact Cadillac crossover, slotting in below the XT5, is set to arrive in 2018, said Cadillac CEO Johan de Nysschen at last week’s Los Angeles Auto Show. More at Motor Trend.
+ Fiat has reportedly shelved a commercial for the new Fiat 124 Spyder featuring Charlie Sheen after the actor announced he carries the HIV virus. More at Yahoo! News.
+ Formula 1 star Sebastian Vettel was crowned the 2015 Champion of Champions at Olympic Stadium in London after defeating Tom Kristensen in the Race of Champions final. More at Sky Sports.
Read the previous Executive Briefing from November 20 here.
Photo by Robert LaBelle /NASCAR via Getty Images