Wheels: A Custom Mercury, With a Batmobile in Its Family Tree, Heads to Auction

The "Hirohata Merc," commissioned in 1952 and a famous custom cars of its era, is for sale.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story January 11, 2022 The Wheels newsletter is delivered monthly. The next one will appear on Tuesday, Feb. 15. Mecum Auctions Wheels A Custom Mercury, With a Batmobile in Its Family Tree, Heads to Auction The "Hirohata Merc," commissioned in 1952 and one of the most famous custom cars of its era, is up for sale for the first time in over 60 years. By Brett Berk Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT An Rong Xu for The New York Times Want to Buy a Car? You Might Have to Get on a Plane to Claim It. The limited supply of new and used vehicles is forcing some Americans to go to great lengths to find and buy them, including traveling to dealers hundreds of miles away. By Neal E. Boudette BMW Wheels The Soundtrack to an Electric Car The film composer Hans Zimmer is creating a sonic signature for BMW's forthcoming electric i4 sedan. By Stephen Williams Jeff Swensen for The New York Times Wheels Public Streets Are the Lab for Self-Driving Experiments When the U.S. ordered companies to report accidents involving driver-assistance tech, Tesla was thought to be the motivation. But 108 companies were listed, showing how widespread the testing may be. By Roy Furchgott Genesis Wheels Selling Cars, Plus Coffee, Tea or a Fancy Dinner Automakers are building "brand experience centers" to pitch their vehicles to consumers without the hard sell of a showroom. By Brett Berk Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Sinna Nasseri for The New York Times Wheels A Classic Car Giant With a Lofty Mission: Save Driving The Hagerty brand insures collectible autos — two million of them — and its articles and videos draw crowds. After going public, it has bigger plans. By Brett Berk NEWS Toyota Topped G.M. in U.S. Car Sales in 2021, a First for a Foreign Automaker After struggling to produce cars because of a global computer chip shortage, automakers are trying to move quickly to making electric vehicles. By Neal E. Boudette Why Tesla Soared as Other Automakers Struggled to Make Cars The yawning disparity between the performance of the electric car company and established automakers last year reflects the technological change roiling the industry. By Jack Ewing G.M. plans new electric models as it tries to catch up to Tesla and Ford. The company's chief executive, Mary Barra, said G.M. would sell new electric pickup trucks and sport-utility vehicles, but not until 2023. By Neal E. Boudette Tesla Reports 87% Increase in 2021 Deliveries The electric-car maker managed substantial growth as Europe and China increasingly propelled sales. By Neal E. Boudette E.P.A. Announces Tightest-Ever Auto Pollution Rules Under the new plan, designed to reduce planet-warming tailpipe emissions, new vehicles would be required to average 55 miles per gallon starting in 2026. By Coral Davenport Future of Transportation Crash Test Dummies Made Cars Safer (for Average-Size Men) Designers and researchers are now trying to leverage cutting-edge technology to create a system that better protects every body, women's included. By Alisha Haridasani Gupta Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Wheels from The New York Times. To stop receiving these emails, unsubscribe or manage your email preferences. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018