Motoryzacja

The savage mugging that left automotive journalist Frank Washington struggling for life in Detroit on Jan. 31 could have happened anywhere, but the generosity that followed is rare. It says volumes about Frank, the metro area and the people of the industry that was born here.

A hot dog cookout with up to 50 friends. A one-year supply of Oscar Mayer hot dogs. And best of all, a trip with your friends in the Wienermobile. That's what you get for being the high bidder on eBay for the unique auction.

For the first time in a decade, the Automotive Executive of the Year honoree will be recognized for lifetime achievement. Racing legend and high-performance car designer Carroll Shelby, 85, is to be honored at an invitation-only lunch April 16 at the Detroit Athletic Club.

Barrett-Jackson calls it Muscle Car Wars, a chance to bid on high-performance models from the three Detroit automakers, including the Corvette ZR1 and Dodge Challenger SRT8. The Jan. 19 event will benefit charities and is part of the famed Barrett-Jackson auction held in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Plastech Engineered Products Inc. won a bankruptcy court's permission to start an auction process next month that would put the Dearborn-based supplier's assets on sale.