Three new muscle cars bring US$1.95 million at auction

Scottsdale, Arizona - Three new muscle cars offered by Ford, General Motors and Chrysler brought $1.95 million (all prices U.S.) for charity at the 37th annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Event in Scottsdale, Arizona. The 2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR brought $550,000, the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 brought $1 million and the 2008 Dodge Challenger brought $400,000. "The great American muscle cars are back," said Barrett-Jackson CEO and Chairman Craig Jackson, who purchased the Challenger. "During the 1960s and early 70s, Detroit demonstrated its stronghold on automotive performance and power with cars like these. We're thrilled that Barrett-Jackson provided the stage for the rebirth of these amazing vehicles. When the new Challenger crossed the block, we decided it was a great opportunity for the Barrett-Jackson team to jump in and show our support for notMYkid, a deserving local charity." Each manufacturer donated money from the sale of the cars to a designated charity. Ford donated the proceeds of the GT500KR to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation; GM donated a portion of the proceeds of the Corvette ZR1's bid to United Way; and proceeds from the Dodge Challenger sale were donated to notMYkid Inc. The Corvette ZR1 was driven across the block by Tonight Show host and car collector Jay Leno, while Carroll Shelby addressed the crowd during the sale of the GT500KR.

British Columbia issues over 80,000 2010 Olympic license plates

Vancouver, British Columbia - More than 80,000 British Columbians have purchased 2010 Olympic Winter Games license plates, with net proceeds benefitting the Canadian Olympic team and the staging of the games. As well, Allen Reiffer of Kamloops won a 2008 Pontiac Vibe, as part of the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia's (ICBC) Show Your Support to Win promotion. The car was donated by the Pontiac Dealers of B.C. "ICBC would like to thank all 80,000 British Columbians who have purchased their 2010 Olympic Winter Games license plates," said Jeff Schulz, ICBC vice-president of Strategic Marketing. "By purchasing a plate, you are directly helping support the 2010 Winter Games and Canada's athletes. And if you haven't done so already, I would encourage every British Columbian to get a plate, and help make these the most successful Winter Games ever." ICBC's goal is to sell 100,000 plates in the program's first year; they are part of ICBC's sponsorship as an Official Supporter in the motor vehicle insurance category. The plates went on sale in April 2007 and can be purchased from Autoplan brokers for an initial fee of $35, with an annual renewal fee of $25 until 2012. They are available for passenger vehicles, motor homes, commercial trucks and trailers, farm trucks, motorcycles and utility trailers. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games plates are official plates and will continue to be valid beyond the Games. Customers are encouraged to retain them, but if they choose to cancel their plates after December 31, 2010, they will get to keep the front plate as a souvenir.

GM exec: 30 percent of metro dealerships should go

A few days ago, General Motors chief executive Rick Wagoner said that his company needed to step up the pace of dealership consolidation. But Mr. Wagoner didn’t say how many dealership closures he had in mind. Now we know, at least for the metropolitan market areas. The Detroit News reported that Mark LaNeve, GM's vice president for marketing and sales, said the company needed to reduce its 6,800 U.S. dealers and that the automaker wants to shrink the number of dealers in urban areas by roughly 30 percent. Mr. LaNeve, according to the Detroit News, said the company needed to reduce the number of U.S. dealers by reducing the over-concentration of dealerships in large metropolitan areas. In the last 30 years, Mr. LaNeve said the company has shrunk the number of dealers by more than half, when the company had 14,000 dealers. Some areas don't need a reduction in dealers. As an example, the Washington-area's four Cadillac dealers are appropriate. But the Philadelphia area has seven Cadillac dealers and should be reduced.

Mid-air collision kills 4 passengers and 1 in dealership below- “There were bodies falling out of the sky.”

Three Covina California car dealerships remained closed yesterday as investigators searched the wreckage for clues and body parts In what can only be described as a horrific scene, two small Cessnas collided over a row of car dealerships in Covina California on Sunday. While one plane spiraled to the ground, the other appeared to have broken apart in mid-air showering the dealership below with severed body parts and blood. On what was reported to be a “good day for flying” with the sun shining and the air clear in Covina, a community about 45 miles southeast of Los Angeles. By what has been reported from a number of local news sources, the dealerships below were also enjoying a routine day in sunny southern California. But that scene quickly changed when the planes flying overhead appear to have collided, sending them both to the ground, apparently one broken apart. One person in one of the dealerships was killed when one of the aircraft came through the roof of the dealership and struck the customer. According to one eyewitness, “There were bodies falling out of the sky. One of them crashed into the top of a Ford Mustang, and another one fell not too far behind that one on the parking lot.” NTSB investigators were on the scene Monday searching for clues and examining the wreckage. The dealerships will remain closed while the scene is examined and the wreckage and carnage are removed. Needless to say, the routine of the dealerships was shattered and they remained closed pending the completion of the NTSB investigation.