Arias Pistons 12.5:1 Compression 82mm Bore Honda B-series on 2040-parts.com

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.

Ford Focus 1.0-litre EcoBoost sets 16 world speed records

The new Ford Focus 1.0 EcoBoost has set 16 world speed records in two days of testing at the CERAM test circuit in Mortefontaine. Who’d have thought that a little 3-cylinder engine in a Ford Focus could ever be an appealing prospect? But it’s become very clear that Ford’s little boosted 3-pot is quite the star and, for almost anyone who does a normal mileage, by far the choice over a diesel-engined Focus.

Official: Aston Martin Cygnet axed – fewer than 150 sold

Sir Stirling Moss was one of fewer than 150 Aston Martin Cygnet buyers Last month we reported that Aston Martin appeared to have axed their take on a supermini – the Aston Martin Cygnet – after just a couple of years. Now that news seems to be official after Reuters spoke to an Aston Martin source who also said the Cygnet sold so poorly that fewer than 150 were sold. That must make the Cygnet one of the poorest performing cars in any company’s sales history, especially as that fewer than 150 total was supposed to be 4,000 a year.