Ford builds online ordering system

NEWS Ford has announced an online ordering system for its top-of-the-range cars. The Buyer Connection, which is still in development, enables customers to build their car, calculate the price and contact their local dealer direct. The site forms part of Ford's Interactive Strategy, announced yesterday at the North American International Auto Show. Carolyn Brown, public affairs manager, told Silicon.com: "Instead of looking for new customers, we are focussing on providing an excellent service for the customers we've already got." Other upcoming features in the service include password-protected pages with services and special offers for individual owners. http://www.ford.com is targeted at Ford, Lincoln and Mercury brands in the US. Brown added that Europe could expect a similar service at some point.