Marchionne, Fiat execs tighten grip on Chrysler under unified management team

Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Fiat S.p.A. and Chrysler Group LLC, will retain oversight of the two automakers in North America under a single management team dominated by Fiat-bred executives. Four regional chiefs will be in charge of Fiat and Chrysler operations in North America, South America, Europe and Asia effective Sept.

Dana Point concours to feature Le Mans legends and Shelby hot rods

The 30th-annual Dana Point Concours d'Elegance at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort will highlight “Legends of Le Mans: Racing in the '60s” and celebrate the 50th anniversary of Shelby American. A 1961 Ferrari 250 SWB that won its Le Mans class in 1961 will join the event from the collection of Bruce Meyer.

Akio Toyoda waves family flag, heir makes crisis personal challenge

The reclusive Akio Toyoda is taking the rare step of waving the family flag, as the scion to Toyota Motor Corp.’s founding dynasty tries to steer the world’s largest car company out of a spiraling safety crisis. In testimony prepared for the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, President Toyoda pursues a rare personal tack on the emergency, saying “my name is on every car.” “As you well know, I am the grandson of the founder, and all the Toyota vehicles bear my name,” Toyoda says in prepared comments circulated ahead of Wednesday’s committee hearing in Washington. “For me, when the cars are damaged, it is as though I am as well.” The intimate reflection is a departure for Toyoda, who has spent most of his career sidestepping public discussion of his lineage.