This year’s Arizona winter auctions are off to a strong start, as demonstrated by this 1925 Bugatti Type 35A that was bid up to $1.3 million. Get all the latest auto industry news in the Executive Briefing.
Today’s Headlines:
+ Glen Wood, the patriarch of the Wood Brothers Racing team of NASCAR and Indy 500 fame, has passed away at age 92. More at the Wood Brothers Racing Facebook Page.
+ General Motors’ strategy to make Cadillac its lead electric vehicle brand is the automaker’s final opportunity to turn the division around, says president Mark Reuss. More at Reuters.
+ The broad alliance struck by Ford and Volkswagen will include Ford-built commercial vehicles for VW in Europe and South America, and could extend to a U.S.-built product. More at Automotive News Europe.
+ Lotus Cars, which has been controlled by Geely since 2017, will build vehicles in the company’s new Wuhan, China factory, including an SUV now in development. More at Motor Trend.
+ NTT, a $106 billion global information technology and communications company headquartered in Japan, inked a multiyear deal to serve as IndyCar title sponsor. More at the Indianapolis Star.
+ Attorneys for former and current employees at the General Motors powertrain plant in Toledo, Ohio charge that a culture of extreme racism is tolerated in the facility. More at the Toledo Blade.
+ Ford confirmed that it has battery-electric and hybrid versions of the top-selling F-150 pickup in the planning stages, and that the hybrid will appear next year. More at Autoblog.
+ Four more former Audi executives were indicted in the United States for their roles in the continuing Volkswagen Group diesel emissions cheating scandal. More at Bloomberg.com.
+ This year’s Arizona collector car auctions are off to a strong start with a 17 percent increase in prices over 2018, according to analysts at the Haggerty Insider. More at Classic Cars.com Journal.
+ The one-of-one Le Mans 427-powered 1967 Shelby Mustang GT500 known as the Super Snake sold for $2.2 million fee-inclusive at the Mecum Kissimmee auction. More at Hemmings Daily.
+ NASCAR has promoted Jay Fabian of the company’s research and development center in Concord, North Carolina to managing director of the Monster Energy Cup series. More at ESPN.
Review the previous Executive Briefing from January 14 here.
Photo by Bob Golfen courtesy of Classic Cars.com Journal.
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