General Motors is accelerating its electric vehicle program, pledging to make 40 percent of its product line electric by 2025. Get all the latest auto industry news in the Executive Briefing.
Today’s Headlines:
+ Shareholders of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and French carmaker Groupe PSA will vote January 4 on their proposed 50-50 merger to create a new company called Stellantis. More at The Detroit News.
+ Prime Minister Boris Johnson has proposed a ban on the sale of new gasoline and diesel autos in the United Kingdom in 2030, besting an earlier plan to end sales in 2040. More at CNBC.
+ Former United Auto Workers vice president and General Motors board member Joe Ashton was sentenced to 30 years in prison for directing a $4 million kickback scheme. More at the Detroit Free Press.
+ Kurt Busch and Martin Truex Jr. gave positive reviews of their tests of NASCAR’s next-generation race cars, which feature independent rear suspension and other advances. More at NBC Sports.
+ The Mercedes-AMG Black Series is the latest production-car lap-record holder at the Nürburgring, beating the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ by better than one second. More at Car and Driver.
+ According to a major Japanese newspaper, the Chunichi Shimbun, Toyota plans to discontinue its flagship Crown sedan sometime next year due to low sales volume. More at Autoblog.
+ Tesla’s Model Y crossover, which has suffered body and paint issues, dragged down the electric carmaker’s rankings in Consumer Reports’ annual reliability study. More at Reuters.
+ Honda has unveiled a prototype version of the 11th-generatio Civic sedan, which insiders say is very close to the eventual production model set to appear in 2022. More at Autoweek.
+ General Motors is ramping up its electric vehicle program, adding another $7 billion to its $20 billion investiment and planning to make the Cadillac line all electric by 2025. More at CNN Business.
+ Chip Ganassi Racing is rejoining the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship next year, starting with a Cadillac DPi prototype purchased from Ricardo Juncos. More at Racer.
Photo courtesy of General Motors.
Review the previous Executive Briefing from November 16 here.
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