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

Alfa Romeo 4C to spearhead marque's return to the US

Alfa Romeo is coming back to the U.S. this summer, and at next month's New York auto show the company will present the 4C Coupe to the American public. We need to take a step back to point out that even though the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione was officially sold on our shores in a handful of locations (to a smattering of well-heeled buyers), the automaker's planned return this summer will offer cars for--ahem--a slightly larger audience.

Concept Car of the Week: Volkswagen Microbus (2001)

The turn of the millennium seemed to induce a feeling of nostalgia among car manufacturers and with it a plethora of heritage/retro designs, including the new Mini, new Ford Mustang and Nissan Z. Following the runaway success of its New Beetle, which probably started the trend, VW asked itself whether it could enjoy the same success with a modern interpretation of the legendary T1 Microbus. Designed at the surf-central design studio in Simi Valley, California, the Microbus Concept took ample inspiration from its distant ancestor, but was modernized in every way.

11 excuses cops have already heard

"Everyone else was doing it," and "I had to go to the bathroom" extend beyond excuses used in a kindergarten classroom -- they actually top the most common excuses drivers use to get out of a ticket. Insurance.com surveyed 500 licensed drivers age 18 and over in February 2013 to find this list of top excuses we use when getting pulled over. 20.4 percent of drivers have tried: I couldn't see the sign telling me not to do it.