At $4.9 million, this 1934 Mercedes-Benz 500/540K Spezial Roadster was the top sale at the Bonhams Amelia Island auction. Get all the latest auto industry news in the Executive Briefing.
Today’s Headlines:
+ Ford CEO Jim Farley is calling for the U.S. Federal government to set standards for fully or partially automated vehicles to ensure the safety of electronic driving systems. More at The Detroit News.
+ The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into the Porsche Taycan following owner complaints of sudden power loss. More at The Drive.
+ The Mazda 6 mid-sized sedan will no longer be offered in the USA after the 2021 model year, but a rear-drive replacement with inline-six power may be in the works. More at Car and Driver.
+ A full field of 33 cars and drivers is set for next Sunday’s Indianapolis 500, with Scott Dixon of Chip Ganassi Racing scoring his fourth career pole position at 231.685 mph. More at Sporting News.
+ The global microchip shortage is forcing Nissan Motor and Suzuki Motor to temporarily halt production at plants in Mexico and Japan in June, sources reported. More at Reuters.
+ One of the Porsche 917Ks used in Steve McQueen’s film Le Mans will be offered at RM Sotheby’s Monterey auction, where it is expected to bring up to $18.5 million. More at Autoblog.
+ After months of delays, Tesla will hold a delivery event on June 3 at its Fremont, California plant for the Tesla Model S Plaid, which is rated at more than 1,000 horsepower. More at CNBC.
+ The Bonhams Amelia Island auction, held in tandem with the Amelia Island Concours in Florida, reported $20 million in total sales and a 90 percent sell-through rate. More at Classic Cars.com Journal.
+ Volvo Trucks North America and the United Auto Workers reached a tentative agreement on a new six-year contract for 2,900 employees at the Dublin, Virginia plant. More at Commercial Carrier Journal.
+ Former CART/IndyCar driver Andre Ribeiro of Brazil, who raced for four seasons in the American open-wheel series, scoring three wins, has succumbed to cancer at 55. More at Autoweek.
Photo courtesy of Bonhams.
Review the previous Executive Briefing from May 21 here.
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