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

Heifer fuel

Unlike most people, when Michael Doyle drives past a herd of cattle grazing in a field, he doesn't see future tenderloins or T-bones. He sees fuel. The company Doyle co-owns, North Star Biofuels, is about to start production of biodiesel at a new $15 million, 20,000-square-foot plant in Watsonville, Calif., about 60 miles south of San Francisco.

Civic hybrid tests Honda's new strategy

Despite being the first to sell an electric-gasoline car in the United States and making hybrid technology a centerpiece of its fuel economy push, Honda Motor Co. has yet to have a hybrid hit. But the redesigned Civic Hybrid, launched April 20, is the first test of whether Honda's new strategy of tapping lithium ion batteries and, later, two-motor systems can break the streak.

2014 Toyota Corolla order guide leaked

The 2014 Toyota Corolla arrives in dealerships later this year, but some bits of information about the big seller have leaked through a Kansas dealer to Car and Driver. The Corolla will stick with a 1.8-liter, four-cylinder engine, but will add Toyota's Valvematic variable valve timing, which may add a few ponies. A four-speed automatic will be standard on base models, while a six-speed manual will also be offered, replacing the old five-speed .