Purchased new by hot rodder and tobacco heir Zach Reynolds, this rare 1967 Comet with 427 R-code V8 and only 2,004 miles brought $169,000 at the Mecum Auctions Austin sale. Get all the latest auto industry news in the Executive Briefing.
Today’s headlines:
+ Chrysler Group LLC, the American division of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, is officially no more and henceforth will be known as FCA US LLC. More at Car and Driver.
+ In January at the 2015 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Ford will unveil a next-gen Ford GT that Chip Ganassi Racing will take to LeMans in 2016. More at Autoweek.
+ Dutch high-end sports car manufacturer Spyker N.V. has been officially declared bankrupt by the District Court of Midden-Nederland. More at AutoGuide.com.
+ Toyota will invest $126 million in its Southeast Michigan research and development facilities and relocate 85 workers from California to Ann Arbor. More at MLive.
+ Thwarting attempts to push him aside, Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has been reappointed to the sport’s governing board and has retaken the post of chief executive officer. More at Racer.
+ The economic crisis in Russia has forced Ford, General Motors, and other automakers to cut workforce and redirect production to other plants. More at The Detroit News.
+ NASCAR up-and-comer Darrell “Bubba” Wallace, Jr. has landed a full-season ride with Roush Fenway Racing in the XFinity series for 2015. More at Yahoo! Sports.
+ Cadillac’s 2016 CT6 flagship sedan will feature a rear-view mirror with high-resolution streaming live video. More at Autoblog.com.
+ Acura will formally introduce the production version of the NSX two-place supercar at the North American International Auto Show in January. More at the Detroit Free Press.
+ A 1967 Comet with 427 CID R-Code V8, one of six known to survive, was one of the top 10 sellers at last weekend’s Mecum Auctions Austin sale. More at Hemmings Daily.
For the previous Executive Briefing from December 15, click here.