Welcome to the Daily 5 report for Monday, Nov. 17.
NASCAR. Chili cheese fries. The singing of "The Star-Spangled Banner." Sounds like a race day in America.
Except it wasn't.
At the Fuji Speedway in Japan, Toyota Motor Corp. Chairman Akio Toyoda — donning a "Make America Great Again" hat and Trump-Vance T-shirt — hosted an extravaganza with a decidedly American flavor over the weekend. The event, held in conjunction with an endurance race at the Toyota-owned circuit, was an international celebration of car culture.
As Asia Editor Hans Greimel reports, it was one of several quiet gestures Japan is deploying to signal openness to American car culture and U.S. auto exports at a moment when Japanese carmakers are being battered by tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump.
Toyoda said his company's role is to promote the auto industry wherever it does business. "On the ground, we are working to properly nurture this core industry," he said. "This is a vital vehicle, figuratively speaking, that creates stable employment and sustainable investment for a country."
Back in the U.S. — at an equally festive event last week at Toyota Motor North America's massive new battery manufacturing complex in Liberty, N.C., celebrating the start of production — the company announced it will invest $10 billion in the market. Details about where the money will be allocated were not disclosed.
In other import brand news, Automotive News sibling publication Automobilwoche reports that Audi plans to develop a large electric utility model with a range extender, designed specifically for American consumers. Reportedly, it will use Scout's platform.
Currently, Audi does not build vehicles in the U.S., instead relying on imports from Mexico and Europe.
This approach will allow Audi to produce vehicles in the U.S., avoiding high investments and import tariffs. Similarly, it introduced a model in China this year developed specifically for that market and sold under the Audi brand.
Meanwhile, don't miss our stories on Nissan's new three-row crossover and Slate's service plan, and take a look inside Ford's new headquarters.
That's it for now. Enjoy the rest of your day. If you want to view this story on your browser click here.
— Omari Gardner, director of content and commentary
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