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

House narrowly passes scaled-back 'cash-for-clunkers' bill

The U.S. House on Tuesday narrowly passed a scaled-back version of a bill that would give consumers cash vouchers of between $3,500 and $4,500 if they trade in their cars for newer, more fuel-efficient vehicles. The $1 billion cash-for-guzzlers proposal, modeled after successful programs in Germany and other European countries, is part of a $106 billion supplemental spending measure designed mostly to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Toyota NS4 plug-in hybrid unveiled at 2012 Detroit show

The new Toyota NS4 was one of the surprises of the 2012 Detroit auto show. It's the Japanese car maker's vision of what a new family car will look like in 2015. That's not so far off, and nor does this show car seem too other-worldly.

Mazda opens new plant in Salamanca, Mexico

Mazda Motor Corp. chairman Takashi Yamanouchi opened the company's new small-car assembly plant in Mexico today, calling it the company's "most important global strategic base." The factory, which will produce up to 230,000 vehicles each year, is a cornerstone of the structural reform plan "upon which the very future of company hinges," Yamanouchi said in remarks prepared for the opening ceremony. "Mazda's Structural Reform Plan, upon which the very future of the company hinges, positions this plant as our most important global strategic base," Yamanouchi said of the factory, which is about three hours northwest of Mexico City in Guanajuato State.