This 1966 Aston Martin DB6 was among the top 10 sales at the Bonhams | Cars Scottsdale auction. Get all the latest auto industry news in the Executive Briefing.
Today’s headlines:
+ A Waymo self-driving vehicle struck a child near an elementary school in Santa Monica, California, triggering an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. More at MSN.
+ Reportedly, Hyundai is dropping the Santa Cruz compact pickup, introduced in 2021 to relatively low sales, but has plans for a body-on-frame mid-size truck by the end of the decade. More at Car and Driver.
+ Tesla will discontinue its Model S and Model X next quarter and switch production to Optimus robots at the company’s Fremont, California plant, CEO Elon Musk announced. More at Autoweek.
+ NASCAR officials continue to plan for the season-opening Clash to run as scheduled at Bowman-Gray Stadium in North Carolina this weekend, despite snow and cold temperatures. More at Motorsport.com.
+ General Motors reports it expects to log higher profits in 2026 despite nagging tariffs, as easing U.S. environmental rules brighten the outlook for its big pickup trucks and SUVs. More at World Auto Forum.
+ Kia reports that U.S. tariffs cost the automaker $2.3 billion last year, driving a 32 percent slump in operating profit, which it hopes to recover in increased sales via incentives. More at The Detroit News.
+ Stellantis may delay the reopening of its Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois until mid-2028, raising fresh uncertainty for workers and state officials about the facility’s future. More at CBT News.
+ Anders Bell, chief engineering and technology officer at Volvo Cars, confirmed that the automaker will continue to offer Apple CarPlay, saying, “we need to adapt to you.” More at The Drive.
+ Former Team Penske president Tim Cindric has returned to the company, where he will serve as Scott McLaughlin’s race strategist with the No. 3 Chevy IndyCar program. More at Racer.
+ Bonhams | Cars kicked off its 2026 calendar with $11 million in sales at Scottsdale , led by the 2024 Bugatti Chiron Super Sport Éléphant Blanc, which brought $5.06 million. More at Old Cars.
Photo courtesy of Bonhams.
Review the previous MCG Executive Briefing from January 26 here.
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Quote from NHTSA Action Number PE26001:
“ODI has opened this Preliminary Evaluation to investigate whether the Waymo AV exercised appropriate caution given, among other things, its proximity to the elementary school during drop off hours, and the presence of young pedestrians and other potential vulnerable road users. ODI expects that its investigation will examine the ADS’s intended behavior in school zones and neighboring areas, especially during normal school pick up/drop off times, including but not limited to its adherence to posted speed limits. ODI will also investigate Waymo’s post-impact response.”
In other news, the NTSB & NHTSA have now both been sicced on the self-drivers blasting by stopped school buses in San Antonio, Texas. Everywhere these contraptions are forced on the public, insurance premiums rise, just like when a roundabout pops up in your town. It’s not a bug, it’s a feature…