Cars need to get smaller, but who said they can't get younger? Ford is preparing to add six more small cars to the US line-up in the next three years. The models will attract a new type of customer, Ford hopes. That means the automaker and its dealers must know how to serve them.

The six models will be: the new European Focus four-door, five-door and convertible; the new Fiesta; the C-Max and Kuga small crossovers.

Jim Farley, Ford's group vice president of marketing and communications, started a "young leadership" subcommittee of 20 young Ford dealers or children of dealers to study the operations of current dealerships.

"The key is not so much the physical dealership; it's the operational business -- for example, accessory business," Farley said. "The way we approach the accessory business of this operation is going to be really important."

.