The six major collector car auctions at Monterey Car Week generated a record $371 million in sales, as exemplified by this 1961 Jaguar E-Type that brought an impressive $720,000. Get all the latest automotive news in the Executive Briefing.
Today’s Headlines:
+ Ford has cancelled its plans to sell the China-built Focus Active crossover in the United States, blaming President Donald Trump’s tariffs and looming trade war. More at The Detroit News.
+ Better known for its vacuum cleaners, Dyson is charging ahead with a $2.6 billion plan to produce electric cars, launching an engineering facility in England. More at Automotive News Europe.
+ Harley-Davidson and Tuscany Motor Company unveiled a Harley-Davidson Concept Custom Ford F-150 to honor H-D’s 115th anniversary celebration in Milwaukee. More at Motor Trend.
+ The Haas Formula 1 team says it will appeal the FIA’s decision to disqualify the 6th place finish of driver Romain Grosjean in the Italian Grand Prix for a technical violation. More at Racer.
+ General Motors has partnered with Delta Americas to develop an Extreme Fast Charger (XFC) process for electric cars by 2020 that will provide 180 miles in range in a 10-minute charge. More at The Drive.
+ Volkswagen reported that only half of its VW-branded passenger car models in Germany are compliant with the new European Union WLTP emissions standards. More at Reuters.
+ Subaru will receive $1.5 million from the state of Michigan to build a 60,000-square-foot technical center in Van Buren Township just west of Detroit. More at the Detroit Free Press.
+ Monterey Car Week’s six collector car auctions generated a record $371 million in sales with a sell-through rate of 62 percent and an average price of $436,849. More at Classic Cars.com Journal.
+ IndyCar driver Robert Wickens, injured in a Pocono crash, has been transferred to an Indianapolis hospital for further treatment, though the extent of his back injuries remains unknown. More at NBC Sports.
+ China’s electric vehicle market is poised for explosive growth to more than two million cars per year by 2020, says Jacob George of the Asia Pacific group at J.D. Power. More at CNBC.
Review the previous Executive Briefing from August 31 here.
Photo courtesy of RM Sotheby’s.
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Anyone want to buy a used president cheap?
I guess Ford is stuck selling 40% more F-150s per month than their yearly projected sales for the Focus Active. I’m sure if things change, they’ll find a way to make bring the car here. I would prefer that they make several different sedans here in small numbers than to try and fit everyone into two cars.
Car makers were able to get by with just one vehicle per marque up through the 50s, and maybe they can do it again. But the Fusion / Mondeo is a better base. I can see the reasons behind the Mustang but not the Focus Active. Its just another crossover. Ford knows the business better than most give them credit for and I think they’ll do OK. It will be nice to get manufacturing back to the USA. I don’t think we can count on China to build our bombers.
Consider 1940 and 1941 Pontiac. You could have one on the short “A” body 117 ” wheel base Chevrolet body, or the “B” body 120″ wheelbase shared with Oldsmobile and Buick , or you could have a Pontiac built on the 121.5″ shared with the Big Olds, Buick, on the Cadillac “C” body and chassis.
So you see up through the 50’s GM at least was NOT getting by with one vehicle per marque.
I can see the advertising campaign for Dyson electric cars now.
“Our cars don’t suck!!”
Volkswagen’s emissions troubles seem to never end. They will be in the bullseye forever.