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

Man-made Modern Luxury Materials in Cars

Luxury, within the context of a car interior, has been closely related to the use of wood and leather for over a century. These natural materials have a familiar organic, tactile quality that are intrinsically desirable attributes for most people and, in today's mass manufactured plastic world, they also assume a luxury or premium quality. Throughout the last century, metal, leather and wood have also been progressively supplanted by bakelite, vinyl and then polymer-based plastic materials in car interiors as well.

Carlos Ghosn's automaker mantra: Go big or you'll go away

Size matters in auto company survival, Renault and Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn told an audience in Detroit on Tuesday. To cope with the escalating costs and scope of a global industry, successful automakers must complete a trifecta--be able to compete in every technology, every market and every segment, Ghosn said during a luncheon speech at the Detroit Economic Club “No 3 million-unit carmaker can make it,” Ghosn said, explaining why his Renault-Nissan alliance forged an alliance with Germany's Daimler AG. Competency in one or two of the three skills is not enough, and only very large companies can afford all three, he said.

CAR interviews Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo (2010)

CAR recently interviewed Luca di Montezemolo, chairman of Ferrari. He's one of the most established names in the supercar arena, having started with Ferrari in 1973 as founder Enzo’s assistant and grand prix team manager. After winning two world championships with Nikki Lauda in 1975 and 1977, he left to head the organisation responsible for staging the 1990 football World Cup in Italy.