Ritchie Boat Compass Model 51-b Pembroke Ma on 2040-parts.com

CAR interviews new Ford CEO Mark Fields (2014)

Mark Fields, Ford's new chief executive officer and president of Ford from 1 July 2014 By Phil McNamara Motor Industry 01 July 2014 12:32 Mark Fields took over as CEO of Ford on 1 July 2014, replacing Alan Mulally. CAR magazine caught up with Fields shortly before he took over as the new Ford boss to find out what drives him – and spoke about his time running the now-defunct Premier Automotive Group, including stints overseeing Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover and Mazda. It’s illuminating reading: Fields tells us how Ford considered basing Land Rovers on Ford SUVs and reveals how Ford found buyers for the Premier Automotive Group.

Concept Car of the Week: Alfa Romeo BAT 7

This week sees the Concept of the Week title go to Alfa Romeo and Bertone for their collaboration on the Alfa Romeo BAT 7, the second addition to the BAT series that began in 1953 and finished in 1955. First seen at the 1954 Turin motor show, this wildly futuristic ‘dream' car came about after Alfa Romeo contacted Giuseppe "Nuccio" Bertone of the Bertone carrozeria to commission three concepts with the lowest possible drag coefficient. The cars were named BAT for "Berlinetta Aerodinamica Tecnica." Built upon the Alfa Romeo 1900 chassis, the BAT cars featured large rear bumpers and curved fins, and the concepts achieved a drag coefficient of just 0.19 - an impressive result.

Luxury car buyers get kid-glove treatment from dealerships

Luxury vehicle buyers want service -- not just repairs done right, but the kind of pampering they get at high-end hotels, restaurants and boutiques. It's all about the extras. In response, luxury vehicle brands are stepping up their games, rolling out unprecedented customer service, training staff and reconfiguring showrooms to cater to these buyers.