The Old Reliable IV, a 1963 Chevy Impala Z11 originally raced by Dave Strickler and Bill Jenkins, hammered down for $525,000 at the Mecum Auctions Kissimmee sale. Get all the latest auto industry news in the Executive Briefing.
Today’s headlines:
+ U.S. auto safety regulators report they found no evidence of defects in a Tesla Model S that collided with a truck while the driver was using its Autopilot system. More at Reuters.
+ Yanfeng Automotive Interiors plans to invest $8.45 million to build a new technical center and Michigan headquarters in Novi, adding 60 jobs. More at The Detroit News.
+ A group of Dodge Viper owners are pooling their funds to finance a two-car team that will travel to the Nürburgring in Germany to reclaim the production car lap record. More at Autoblog.
+ The French government will keep its stake in PSA Group, manufacturer of Peugoet and Citroen vehicles, the office of president Francois Hollande reports. More at Automotive News Europe.
+ Rallye Monte Carlo organizers have confirmed the death of a spectator in a crash that halted the first stage of the 2017 World Rally Championship season. More at the UK Mirror.
+ Dodge is teasing more info about the 2018 Challenger SRT Demon, suggesting the new muscle flagship will have more power and weigh 200 lbs less than the current Hellcat. More at Motor Trend.
+ Former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn refused to tell German lawmakers when he first learned about the company’s emissions cheating but said it was no earlier than VW has officially admitted. More at The Globe and Mail.
+ A California real estate developer is selling his Bel Air mansion with a 12-vehicle, $30 million classic car collection included for $250 million. More at the Los Angeles Times.
+ Top 10 sellers at last week’s Mecum Auctions Kissimmee sale included a 1969 Maserati Ghibli Spyder at $920,000 and the ex-Dave Strickler Z11 ’63 Chevy at $525,000. More at Hemmings Daily.
+ NASCAR has tested a 2.3-mile road circuit laid out in the infield at Charlotte Motor Speedway, fueling speculation that a road course event will be scheduled there. More at Motorsport.com.
Review the previous Executive Briefing from January 16 here.
Photo courtesy of Mecum Auctions.
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