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What next for Alan Mulally?

Alan Mulally has emerged as a hero when it comes to American manufacturing. He came to Ford in 2006 after serving as head of Boeing's commercial aircraft division, streamlined operations, sold off the costly elements of its Premier Automotive Group and saved Ford from having to be bailed out by the federal government like its cross-town rivals Chrysler and General Motors did. But as we reported mere days ago, he's widely expected to step down from the chief executive's office at Ford shortly.
So what's next for one of the most successful executives in the business? Hard to say, but don't expect Mulally to disappear into retirement. Though he didn't ultimately take the top job at Microsoft, industry insiders expect to see him in another influential position - likely as a board director or even chairman of another company. (We say "another company" and not Ford because while Bill Ford may have stepped aside as CEO to bring Mulally on board in the first place, we don't see him giving up his chairmanship of the board also.)
Mulally has likely already lined up his next move, and could either announce what that move will be as soon as Ford confirms Mark Fields as his successor, or could wait awhile. Insiders speculate that he could leverage his transportation and aerospace experience into a position at General Electric or a major airline, his manufacturing expertise to benefit a company like Procter & Gamble or his management skills at a consultancy firm.

1964 Ford GT40 prototype to be auctioned in April

The Ford GT40 owns a firm spot on the list of the greatest American racecars ever made, being the first car from the United States to take an overall win in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. And now Mecum will auction what it claims is second-oldest GT40 still in existence at its Houston sale on April 12.
The story of the GT40 is fascinating. Henry Ford II attempted to buy Ferrari in the early '60s, but Enzo refused. Ford decided if he couldn't have them, then he would beat the Prancing Horse on the track. Ford went to Carroll Shelby and asked him to spearhead the program. The early cars combined a steel monocoque chassis with Ford's 4.2-liter V8 engine pumping out around 350 horsepower. The first prototype made its public debuted on April 1, 1964, at the New York Auto Show.
Shelby kept building prototypes, including GT/104, which is for sale here. This version featured a lighter steel chassis and was raced at Le Mans in 1964. However, a fire forced it to retire. It was then repainted and had a 4.7-liter (289-cubic-inch) engine fitted. The chassis had its best finish at the 1965 Daytona Continental 2,000 Kilometers where it finished third with Bob Bondurant and Ritchie Ginther behind the wheel. Later that season, it was shipped back to Ford where it was restored and displayed at auto shows until 1971 when the automaker sold it. Since then, it has had many private owners.

Seinfeld's Porsches, '61 Ferrari lead the way at Gooding Amelia Island sale

If you're in the market for a sports car with celebrity provenance or just an incredibly well-preserved high-performance machine, then you'll want to check out Gooding & Company's Amelia Island auction in Florida on March 11. The highlight of the sale is likely 18 cars, mostly Porsches, from Jerry Seinfeld's collection, but there's more to see than just the comedian's sporting metal. While several of Seinfeld's cars carry auction estimates in the millions, they aren't the most valuable at the sale. That honor falls on a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider, which could sell for between $15 million and $17 million. This one is among the 37 examples with covered headlights, and it has some theatrical provenance after appearing in the Sophia Loren film Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow. If your tastes skew more American, then one of 31 Ford GT40 MKI road cars is also among the lots. Gooding expects the rare coupe to sell for between $3.2 million and $3.6 million. Ford originally used this GT40 for dealer promotions, but it eventually fell into private hands. Even today, its multiple owners have only covered around 3,200 miles in it. Gooding also expects a 1931 Duesenberg Model J Disappearing-Top Convertible Coupe with a body by Murphy to bring $2.5 million to $3 million. The auction house claims this might be the "most original" example left because of a history of owners who kept it for long periods – and the vehicle never needed a complete restoration. Some lots carry more attainable estimates like $35,000 for a 1962 MGA. You can check out all the listings on Gooding's online catalog and some of the highlights in the gallery above. You've probably read the news about Seinfeld's Porsches, but here's a refresher: The collection includes amazing cars like a 550 Spyder, 917/30 Can-Am Spyder, and a 718 RSK. Related Video: