Arias Pistons 12.5:1 Compression 82mm Bore Honda B-series on 2040-parts.com

Driven: Chevrolet Volt

Meeting the Chevrolet Volt could easily have been an anti-climax. This is a design that ‘feels' nearly four years old — the concept first seen in Detroit in 2007. Together with the online hype surrounding it, and the part it plays in GM's renaissance, the weight of expectation is alarmingly high.

Nissan Juke-R: What happens when a GT-R and a crossover get too cozy

Shoehorning a twin-turbo V6 from a Nissan GT-R into the little Juke crossover--that's the type of craziness we've come to expect to show up at the annual SEMA show in Las Vegas. But Nissan's not waiting for SEMA. Its European tech center has performed the powertrain transplant, with the help of race team Ray Mallock Ltd., to create the Juke-R.

Japan automakers extend shutdowns as quake impact widens

Japan's seven big automakers are extending nationwide production shutdowns amid growing concern about supply chain interruptions, power shortages and export difficulties following the massive earthquake and tsunami that hammered northern Japan, killing thousands. Toyota Motor Corp., one of the few automakers with a major manufacturing presence in the quake zone, suspended all manufacturing--at both assembly and parts plants--on Monday and extended the shutdown through at least Wednesday as an added precaution. The company will lose output of roughly 40,000 vehicles over the three-day period, spokesman Dion Corbett said.