MCG Executive Briefing for January 30, 2017

Hammering down at $335,500, this 1969 Mustang Boss 429 was the top-selling American classic at the Russo and Steele Scottsdale auction. Get all the latest auto industry news in the Executive Briefing. 

 

 

Today’s headlines:

+   Ford Motor Co. will offer owners of 2010-2016 model vehicles without built-in modems a plug-in 4G Wi-Fi device to provide full internet connectivity. More at The Detroit News. 

+   Germany’s Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) expressed suspicions in 2015 that Volkswagen was manipulating carbon dioxide emissions test results, the Berliner Zeitung newspaper reports. More at Reuters. 

+   The winner of the 2017 America’s Most Beautiful Roadster award (AMBR) at the Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, California is a scratch-built 1936 Packard owned by Bruce Wanta and built by Troy Ladd’s Hollywood Street Rods. More at Hot Rod Network. 

+   San Francisco-based Alta Motors will introduce an all-electric street tracker-styled motorcycle priced at around $15,500 at the One Moto Show in February. More at Autoblog.

+   In the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the Cadillac prototype of Ricky Taylor, Jordan Taylor, Jeff Gordon, and Max Angelelli took the overall honors, while the Ford GT of Sebastien Bourdais, Joey Hand, Dirk Müller won the GTLM category. More at Motorsport.com. 

+   Schaeffler Technologies and technical partner Continental Automotive are betting on 48-volt mild hybrid drivetrains as a replacement for diesels in fuel economy. More at Automotive News Europe. 

+   Southfield, Michigan-based Lear Corporation, maker of seats and electronic systems, reported record revenues of $4.6 billion and net earnings of $230 million in 2016. More at Crain’s Detroit Business. 

+   Specialty Vehicle Engineering has unveiled the 2017 Yenko SC Camaro, to be offered in a limited run of 50 cars with an 800-hp V8 and a price in the $80,000 neighborhood. More at Automobile. 

+   The Russo and Steele Scottsdale 2017 auction generated $22.1 million in total sales and a 78 percent sell-through rate, with 606 of 708 lots finding buyers. More at Sports Car Digest. 

+   The next-generation Volkswagen GTI due in approximately three years will be equipped with a hybrid powertrain good for up to 260 horsepower, sources say. More at UK Autocar.

+   The British-based Manor Formula 1 team, which entered the sport in 2010 as Virgin Racing and also raced as Marussia, has closed its doors after failing to find a buyer. More at Racer. 

Review the previous Executive Briefing from January 27 here.

Photo courtesy of Russo and Steele. 

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