Vintage Snap-on 1 1/2 Dx-148s Wrench on 2040-parts.com

Ford design chief J Mays retires, replaced by Moray Callum

J Mays, Ford Motor Co.'s global design chief and one of the last senior executives remaining from the Jacques Nasser era, is retiring from the company along with two other veteran senior executives. Moray Callum, 58, design director for Ford in North America, will replace Mays, 59, the automaker said in a statement today. Also retiring after long Ford careers are Jim Tetreault, 57, vice president of North American manufacturing, and Martin Mulloy, vice president of labor relations.

Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet (2012) first pics

These are the first official shots of the Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet, which goes on sale in March 2012.  The convertible top still looks as if it was made of soft fabric, but it actually consists of three semi-rigid lightweight panels coated with a novel furry material, which conceals the cutlines. A fabric top layer finishes things off, and is claimed to be very soundproof, while the rear glass screen is heated and scratchproof. So the new Porsche 911 Cabriolet is a bit of a porker?

Launch control offered on 2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500

The list of manufacturers that offer launch control is getting a bit longer. Ford is joining Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche and a few boutique makers with its 2013 Shelby Mustang GT500. It's not so easy to get 662 hp down to the ground successfully, so Ford does it for you with overclocked computers and precise brake, throttle and clutch control.