Ford boss Bill Ford earned $18m (£9.3m) in stocks and stock options last year, according to reports in the US. The chairman hasn’t taken a salary since he ousted Jac Nasser in 2001, but the bumper package is up from the $14.6m awarded in ’03.

Meanwhile, German car company bosses including Porsche’s Wendelin Wiedeking, Jurgen Schrempp of DaimlerChrysler and BMW’s Helmut Panke are leading the revolt against German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder’s plans to force captains of industry to admit the amount they earn.

Add a comment…