MCG Executive Briefing for December 24, 2018

This 1987 Ferrari F40 LM, a Le Mans veteran, is expected to bring up to $6.2 million at the RM Sotheby’s Paris sale on February 6. Get all the latest auto industry news in the Executive Briefing.

 

 

Today’s Headlines: 

 A government-appointed monitor reported that some 16.7 million defective Takata airbag inflators have not yet been replaced, around one-third of the recalled units. More at The Detroit News. 

+   Insiders say the mid-engine C8 Corvette will be rolled out at a stand-alone event in June of 2019 with a base model priced somewhere in the $70,000 range. More at Autoblog. 

+   Ford Motor Company will unveil the latest generation of its Explorer SUV at Ford Field in Detroit on January 9 in advance of the North American Auto Show. More at The Drive. 

 Forty-seven IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship entries have signed up to participate in the Roar Before the the Rolex 24 test session at Daytona on January 4-6. More at Racer.  

+   A Japanese court has extended for another 10 days the detention of ousted Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn, who faces more charges of financial misdeeds, More at Automotive News Europe.

 Volkswagen’s cleanup efforts from the diesel emissions cheating scandal will cost the automaker around $6.25 billion in 2018 and another $2 million in 2019, the company says. More at Reuters. 

+   The RM Sotheby’s Paris sale on February 6 will include a selection of high-end European exotics, including a Ferrari F40 LM and a 1994 Bugatti EB110 SS. More at Classic Cars.com Journal. 

 Ford is recalling nearly 900,000 F-series pickups from the 2015 through 2019 model years to correct a defect in the engine block heater that could result in a fire. More at CBS News.

 NASCAR team owner Chip Ganassi wants driver Jamie McMurray to continue with the team in a managerial role despite losing his seat to the incoming Kurt Busch. More at Motorsport.com. 

Review the previous Executive Briefing from December 21 here. 

Photo by Stephan Baurer courtesy and copyright of RM Sotheby’s. 

Have you joined Mac’s Motor City Garage on Facebook? It’s lots of fun with rare photos, lore, trivia, and great discussions. Click here to go the page and join MCG. Be sure to check out our companion Facebook group MOTOROLOGY, too.