Lancer/ralliart /evolution Glove Box 08-14 on 2040-parts.com

Ford warms up new era of car-guy leaders

A minor temblor shook Dearborn, Mich., today with the announcement that Mark Fields, president of the Americas, climbed the golden corporate ladder to grab the chief operating officer ring, setting him up to succeed Alan Mulally in a couple of years. The move did not come as a shock-it only confirmed the whispers of auto industry Royal Watchers. The biggest news for those who care about cars, however, is two-fold: Jim Farley, Ford's global marketing boss, also takes the helm of Lincoln.

Mazda pushes fuel economy, plans a new engine by 2011

Mazda's push to increase fuel economy across its model line will include a new range of gasoline engines and may involve the introduction of diesel and idle-stop technology in the United States. Mazda is aiming to increase fuel economy across its global lineup by 30 percent by 2015. The first stage of that transformation will include the introduction of a more fuel-efficient four-cylinder powertrain in 2011.

Brits take the world steam land speed record – twice +video

The British Steam Car Challenge team has set a new land speed record for a steam car at 148.308mph All of which tends to suggest – admirable though the achievement is – that steam technology has not moved on much in 100 years. An improvement of around 1mph a decade. Still, a challenge is a challenge, and the team on the British Steam Car Challenge rose to the occasion.