Good morning and welcome to The Downshift, or TDS for short—the latest car news headlines from around the globe organized for your quick-glance convenience.
Here are the automotive industry and culture stories worth having on your radar as we spin up this Thursday, May 21.
🫡 Ford is talking to the US and other governments to start making military vehicles based on the Ranger and Super Duty platforms. CEO Jim Farley told analysts last month the automaker is in “early discussions with the U.S. government on some defense-related needs.” [Automotive News]
🏭 Volkswagen CEO pours cold water on the idea of subletting its factories to Chinese automakers. [Reuters]
🇩🇪 The German capital of Berlin is grappling with the idea of a car ban. [New York Times]
🎉 The President of Ford Europe said he’d have “news to share in the future” about the Fiesta compact car brand. The last one was built in 2023. [BBC]
📈 Business analysts think Tesla and SpaceX will merge next year. [Wall Street Journal]