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

Lexus prices RX 450h hybrid ute, IS convertible

Lexus announced pricing for two of its spotlight vehicles for 2010, the RX 450h hybrid ute and the IS convertible. The RX 450h will start at $42,535 for the front-wheel-drive version and $44,125 for all-wheel drive. The vehicle reaches dealers mid-summer.

Cars 2 Premiere: A closer look at Finn, Holley and Rod

Cars 2, which opens on Friday, stands to be one of the top box-office hits of the summer. Many of our favorite characters are back, such as Lightning McQueen and Tow Mater, but there are also a bunch of new rides rolling onto the big screen. Some, like Grem the Gremlin and Acer the Pacer, take obvious inspiration from real cars.

Porsche says Panamera avoids gas-guzzler tax

Few expenses were spared in conceiving the Porsche Panamera, but consumers will avoid at least one cost of ownership: the ignominious gas-guzzler tax. Porsche has announced ratings for the 2010 sedan; it will get a combined figure of 18 mpg or 19 mpg from the EPA, depending on the model. This means Porsche’s four-door foray will avoid a fairly substantial cost of ownership--a tax of up to $7,700 is levied on the most prolific guzzlers.