Tesla took over the top spot in U.S. luxury car sales in 2022, knocking BMW from its perennial top perch. Get all the latest auto industry news in the Executive Briefing.
Today’s headlines:
+ The United States has lost a trade arbitration with Canada and Mexico, making it easier for automakers to build vehicles in those countries and ship them into the U.S. market. More at The Detroit News.
+ Mercedes-Benz plans to drop the EQ brand designation for battery-electric cars as soon as the next generation of compact cars arrives in 2024, the German daily Handelsblatt reported. More at Reuters.
+ According to iSeeCars.com, the 10 best-selling used vehicles in the USA include the Ford F-150, Chevy Silverado, and Ram pickups, Chevy Equniox, Honda Civic, and Toyota Camry. More at Autoweek.
+ NASCAR Cup 2021 champion Kyle Larson will race in the 2024 Indianapolis 500 for Arrow McLaren SP with backing from his current NASCAR team, Hendrick Motorsports. More at IndyStar.
+ Stellantis has greatly reduced the Jeep Cherokee lineup for what appears to be the current generation’s final model year, with just two trim levels and two engine choices. More at Car and Driver.
+ Porsche North America set a company record for new vehicle deliveries in 2022 at 70,065 units, led by the Macan compact crossover, the Cayenne SUV, and the traditional 911. More at Autoblog.
+ Tesla took over the number one spot in luxury car sales in the United States in 2022 with 491,000 vehicles sold, while BMW trailed a distant second with 332,388 sold. More at The Drive.
+ A Detroit-area company, Liteborne Motor Corporation, has secured the rights to distribute China-manufactured Skywell EVs in the USA, and hopes to launch sales this year. More at the Detroit Free Press.
+ Mazda is bringing back its signature rotary engine as a range extender for the battery-electric versions of its MX-30 compact crossover, to be marketed in Europe. More at Motor Authority.
+ NASCAR veteran and 2014 Cup champion Kevin Harvick, who currently drives for Stewart-Haas Racing, announced that next season will be his last as a full-time Cup competitor. More at ESPN.
Photo courtesy of Tesla.
Review the previous MCG Executive Briefing from January 9 here.
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