Hammering down at $415,000, this 1970 Plymouth Superbird was the top seller at the Mecum Auctions Harrisburg, Pennsylvania sale. Get all the latest auto industry news in the Executive Briefing.
Today’s headlines:
+ Hyundai Motor plans to cut the product development cycle for its Hyundai and Genesis brands in half, from the current three years to 18 months. More at Motor Trend.
+ General Motors accused the trust set up to handle its bankruptcy claims of conspiring with plaintiffs’ attorneys to make it pay $1 billion in stock in a class-action settlement. More at The Detroit News.
+ Martin Schulz, the main challenger to Chancellor Angela Merkel in Germany’s Sept. 24 election, accused the country’s automotive leaders of putting the industry at risk. More at Reuters.
+ Nissan’s luxury Infiniti brand has unveiled the Infiniti Prototype 9, an electric vehicle concept with open-wheel styling that echoes the Grand Prix racers of the 1930s. More at Engadget.
+ Irwindale Event Center in greater Los Angeles, which has operated since 1999 and includes an oval short track and an 1/8-mile drag strip, will close permanently in January. More at Hemmings Daily.
+ Mercedes-Benz sales in China jumped 32 percent to 48,588 vehicles in July over the same period last year on strong demand for the long-wheelbase E-Class sedan. More at Automotive News Europe.
+ Windle Webster, 45, was fatally injured at Middle Tennessee Dragway when his dragster failed to stop and ran off the track, striking a tree. More at WKRN.com.
+ American muscle cars dominated the stage at the Mecum Auctions Harrisburg sale with seven of the top 10 sales, led by a 1970 Plymouth Superbird at $415,000. More at Sports Car Digest.
+ Sales of motor homes and other recreational vehicles are climbing across the United States and Europe as motorized vacationing finds a younger audience. More at CNBC.
+ The Schmidt Peterson Motorsports IndyCar team and Russian driver Mikhail Aleshin have officially parted ways, with Columbian Sebastian Saavedra provisionally filling his seat. More at Racer.
Review the previous Executive Briefing from August 11 here.
Photo courtesy of Mecum Auctions.
Have you joined Mac’s Motor City Garage on Facebook? It’s lots of fun with rare photos, car lore, trivia, and great discussions. Click here to go the page and join MCG. Be sure to check out our companion Facebook page MOTOROLOGY, too.
I’m always deeply saddened when someone is killed in my favorite racing venue. Watching the DHL funny car that Scott Kalitta was killed in race, still gives me the creeps.( not sure how JR Todd does it, but recently just won an event) I know, they died doing what they loved, and there’s truly worse fates in life. Some say drag racers have a death wish, but I don’t see it that way. No red lights and win lights every time for Windle now. RIP.
In a bizarre twist, this came over the wire just a while ago. 3 killed “at point blank” at my favorite local track, Great Lakes Dragaway. To see this, for whatever reason and it wasn’t because someone lost a race, that’s for sure. Drag racers don’t think in “win or lose” terms, and would never shoot someone over it. Sad, domestic violence has to come to Union Grove.
http://fox6now.com/2017/08/13/breaking-heavy-police-presence-at-great-lakes-dragaway-in-union-grove/
Will RV sales crater again when fuel prices return to higher levels?