At $500,976, this 1960 Aston Martin DB$ GT was among the top 10 sellers at the Bonhams Paris sale. Get all the latest auto industry news in the Executive Briefing.
Today’s Headlines:
+ For the first year in history, Korean automaker Kia leads J.D. Power’s annual Vehicle Dependability Study, followed by Buick in second and Kia’s sibling brand Hyundai in third. More at Autoblog.
+ Honda Motor Co. posted a 17 percent decline in third-quarter operating profits but raised its full-year operating forecast this week, aided by cost cutting and a weak yen. More at Reuters.
+ Ram CEO Mike Koval Jr. says the first battery-electric Ram 1500 pickup in 2024 will offer a range-extending onboard generator, a feature not found on any current E-trucks. More at Car and Driver.
+ Sunday’s NASCAR Clash from the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum averaged a 2.3 rating and 4.28 million viewers on FOX, the highest rating and viewership since 2016. More at Jayski.
+ The Federal Trade Commission will take Florida-based American Vehicle Protection Corp. to court for robocalling thousands of car owners to sell sketchy extended warranties. More at The Drive.
+ In its latest move to beef up its electric vehicle expertise, Ford has hired away a Tesla veteran, engineering director Alan Clarke, to work on advanced EV development. More at The Detroit News.
+ Volkswagen will debut its much-awaited ID.Buzz electric microbus at South by Southwest, one of the USA’s leading art, music, and cultural festivals. More at Autoweek.
+ The annual Bonhams Paris sale produced $21.895 million in total sales and an 83 percent sell-through rate, led by a 2014 La Ferrari that brought nearly $3 million. More at ClassicCars.com Journal.
+ Nissan chief operating officer Ashwani Gupta says the carmaker is shifting resources to EVs because European regulations have rendered internal combustion engines “unviable.” More at CNBC.
+ Aston Martin chief technical officer Andrew Green says the suspension calibrations required in the 2022 Formula 1 cars will produce go-kart-like handling properties. More at Autosport.
Photo courtesy and copyright Bonhams.
Review the previous Executive Briefing from February 7 here.
About time they cracked down on the spam robo calls. No telling how many of them I have blocked in my cell phone. They also need to crack down on them using cloned numbers. I’ve gotten several calls from myself, which is impossible!