This concours-ready 1965 Aston Martin DB5 was the top seller at the Bonhams Bond Street auction, bringing $775,000. Get all the latest auto industry news in the Executive Briefing.

Today’s Headlines:

+   Four-time Indianapolis 500 winner and three-time IndyCar champion Al Unser Sr. has passed away at 82. More at ESPN. 

+   Ford has closed the reservation list at approximately 200,000 for the 2022 F-150 Lightning electric pickup as it prepares to launch production in the spring of next year. More at The Drive. 

+   The U.S. government plans to end purchases of gas-powered vehicles by 2035 in a plan by the Biden administration to reduce emissions and promote electric vehicles. More at Reuters. 

+   The latest version of the best-selling Renault Zoe earned zero stars in its Euro NCAP crash test, becoming only the third vehicle in history to achieve the worst possible score. More at UK Autocar. 

+   FIA race director Michael Masi warned both Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton they could be docked points if they act “in an unsportsmanlike manner” in their title fight in Abu Dhabi. More at Racer. 

+   Ohio ranked as the best state for drivers in 2021, according to a study by Bankrate that factored in insurance costs, gasoline prices, and safest and quickest commutes. More at CNBC. 

+   General Motors has formed partnerships with two suppliers to mine rare earths and magnetic materials and produce finished magnets in plants based in the United States. More at The Detroit News. 

+   The annual Bonhams Bond Street Sale in London featured an 86 percent sell-through rate with a number of classic vehicles exceeding their pre-auction estimates. More at Sports Car Digest. 

+   The editors of Car and Driver reported that the latest Tesla S Plaid has the fastest average charging rate of any electric vehicle they have tested to date at 125 kilowatts. More at Car and Driver. 

+   A group of former staffers at RM Sotheby’s have departed to establish their own vintage car auction firm called the Broad Arrow Group and led by CEO Kenneth Ahn. More at ClassicCars.com Journal. 

+   Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner and IndyCar veteran Takuma Sato will drive for Dale Coyne Racing with Rick Ware next year, taking the seat vacated by Romain Grosjean. More at Motorsport.com. 

Photo courtesy of Bonhams. 

Review the previous Executive Briefing from December 6 here.