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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.

Realization of a Dream - Inside Project M

The appeal of social media is growing rapidly for the auto industry. Sites such as Twitter, YouTube and Facebook give brands the chance to communicate in a much more direct manner than mainstream advertising allows. In the best cases these new forms of media are helping brands, and the individuals who work for them, to build relationships and open dialogue with existing customers and potential future ones.

Enormous Jaguar sculpture graces Goodwood

A 91-foot sculpture of the Jaguar E-type serves as a striking centerpiece for this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed in the United Kingdom. It took 10 days for a bridge-building company to install the 330,690-pound statue in front of the Goodwood House. That is the weight equivalent of 122 life-size copies of the Series 1 E-type.