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

Demise of kei cars on the horizon?

The kei car has long been a staple of the Japanese automobile industry and its car culture. Too diminutive for Western markets, the tiny cars and trucks are a strong influencer of design in Japan. Now, as The New York Times reports, the Japanese government has hit kei cars with increases in sales tax, gasoline prices and has reduced the kei car tax break introduced to make the cars popular in the first place by 50 percent.

BMW revives four-cylinders for better mileage

BMW is bringing four-cylinder engines back to the U.S. market as one response to the scheduled increase in fuel-economy regulations. BMW quit selling the four-cylinders for its 3-series lineup in 1999 because of low demand, but gasoline cost only $1.14 per gallon at the time.

Here's what the 2014 Volvo V60 wagon will cost

The Volvo V60 has been a moderate hit in Europe, and this month it's finally set to go on sale in the U.S. The five-door station wagon will offer one engine from the automaker's new Drive-E family of powerplants, gasoline engines that will use turbocharging and direction injection, in a package slightly smaller than the existing XC70 station wagon. All-wheel drive and front-wheel drive will both be on the menu, with the the base version of the V60 T5 front-wheel drive station wagon starting at $36,215.