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

Alfa Romeo 4C arrives stateside in New York

Not long after the last transport departed New York Harbor with a cargo of unsold 164s, an Alfa Romeo executive was probably quoted as saying, "we will return next year!" We have been eagerly anticipating the return of Alfa Romeo for the last 19 years, long enough for the last Milano to rust whence it came, every year the brand just another year away! Well, this year -- yes, this year, finally, no really -- the Alfa Romeo 4C heralds the brand's reintroduction to America -- just as it did last year, remember -- as early as this summer. You'll have to forgive us for such skepticism -- we've been burned by our desire to invoke Italian driving passion and all that, but it's also hurting the Fiat dealers who scrape by on a lack of product.

Audi at 100: A timeline of significant events

1885--Establishment of Wanderer, which ultimately will be a branch of Audi AG. 1888--NSU, a branch that will evolve into Audi AG, makes its first contribution to automobile development by supplying a chassis for the first Daimler four-wheeler. 1899--August Horch sets up his own company, A.

Chevrolet Volt uses parts made from oil-collecting booms

General Motors is transforming about 100 miles of boom material used to soak up oil in the Gulf of Mexico into auto parts for the Chevrolet Volt. The oil-soaked plastic material collected off the Alabama and Louisiana coasts will keep more than 100,000 pounds of waste from the nation's landfills. The project is expected to make enough plastic to supply the first-year production of Volts with plastic parts for under the hood.