One of just four built and formerly driven by legends Moss, Hawthorn, and Von Trips, this 1957 Ferrari 335 S Scaglietti sold for a near-record $35.7 million at Artcurial Paris. Get all the latest auto industry news in the Executive Briefing.
Today’s headlines:
+ Ford sold a record 130,832 new vehicles in China in January, an increase of 36 percent over the same period last year, due in part to strong volume in Escort, Mondeo, and SUVs. More at The Detroit News.
+ Volkswagen will offer generous compensation plans to 600,000 U.S. owners of diesel vehicles with illegal emissions systems, claims director Kenneth Feinberg told a German newspaper. More at the UK Guardian.
+ Volkswagen has also postponed publication of its 2015 financial results and delayed its annual shareholders’ meeting as the carmaker struggles to place a cost on the diesel emissions scandal. More at Reuters.
+ Colorful ex-F1 team owner Eddie Jordan is reportedly set to join Chris Evans and Matt LeBlanc as co-host on the reformulated BBC program Top Gear. More at the UK Telegraph.
+ Kia Motors will introduce a rear-drive, four-door coupe aimed at the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe but with a more youthful edge as early as May 2017. More at Autoblog.
+ Former Ferrari chief engineer Roberto Fedeli has returned from BMW to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, where he will head R&D for Alfa Romeo and Maserati. More at Carscoops.
+ Swedish truck maker AB Volvo posted a fourth-quarter profit of $310 million, reversing a loss of $352 million in 2015 and despite a net loss in sales. More at the Detroit Free Press.
+ Due to its similarity to the deadly Zika virus, Tata Motors will rename its new Zica hatchback, launching a Twitter campaign to select the new handle. More at Wall Street Journal India.
+ U.S. highway fatalities jumped an unexpected 9.2 percent in the first 9 months of 2015, due in part to an apparent increase in passenger miles. More at The Verge.
+ A 1957 Ferrari 335 S Scaglietti from the collection of French enthusiast Pierre Bardinon sold for a near-record $35.7 million at Artcurial’s Retromobile sale in Paris. More at Motor Trend.
+ Ford and Chip Ganassi Racing will enter four Ford GT racers in the GTE Pro class at n the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June, joining a 60-car field. More at Racer.
Read the previous Executive Briefing from February 5 here.
Photo by Artcurial/Christian Martin.