From the Automobiles Section

From Racer in First Indy 500, a Roadster That Saved a City

By STUART WARNER

David Maxwell for The New York Times

RICH HISTORY Wendell McCready with photos of his 1917 Mulford Special Roadster, which is in the background.

An Ohio man has tucked away a car, built by the driver who finished second in the first Indy 500, that played a crucial role in keeping the tire industry in Akron.

Slide Show: Rubber City Classic

Who Really Won? It’s Not So Simple

By STUART WARNER

Ray Harroun won the first Indy race, held in 1911, but some people say it was Ralph Mulford in his Mulford Special Roadster who won instead.

Behind the Wheel | 2011 Ford Edge Sport

IMPROVED The 2011 Ford Edge Sport is a significant upgrade over the previous model and has a larger engine that is also found in the base Mustang.

Tussling With New Technology

By JOHN R. QUAIN

The 2011 Ford Edge Sport is a very competent vehicle, but its in-car computer control system, called MyFord Touch, offers way too many options.

Slide Show: Decisions, Decisions

Handlebars

STREET BIKE The 2011 Honda CBR250R is reminder of just how much fun a good lightweight motorcycle can be.

You Meet the Nicest Sportbikes in the 250cc Neighborhood

By DEXTER FORD

Honda has the reputation of building bikes that change the world’s perceptions of what a motorcycle, and motorcycling, can do, and the company has done it again with the CBR250R.

A Classmate Feels the Pressure

From Week in Review

The Altima (top) typically sells in the mid-$20,000 range, while the Leaf costs $33,000 or more. But federal tax incentives could put the Leaf in the same ballpark as the Altima.

The Great Kilowatt vs. Gallon Face-Off

By TOM KUNTZ

With Memorial Day upon us, and with it a summer driving season marked by high prices at the gas pump, it seems a fitting time to look at the electric car.

Graphic: Kilowatts vs. Gallons

David Reich and his wife, Jeanne, out for a ride in Oregon.

Retro Russian Import Lures Older Riders

By ANDREW E. KRAMER

By the 1990s Irbit Motor Works seemed to be sputtering, but then it discovered a niche market in the United States for its sidecar motorcycles.

Slide Show: A Motorcycle Built for Two

Ford Focus, Honda Civic and Nissan Juke Among I.I.H.S. Top Safety Picks

By CHERYL JENSEN

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety named six top safety picks in the small-car category on Thursday.

The 1965 Shelby GT 350 Ford Mustang sold by Reggie Jackson this month.

Reggie Jackson Peddles Auction Wisdom - and Shelby GT 350

By LARRY EDSALL

The member of baseball's Hall of Fame was in Indiana for a car auction.

225,000 Jeep Wranglers Investigated for Potential Air-Bag Failure

By CHRISTOPHER JENSEN

A malfunctioning wiring assembly could keep the air bag from deploying in a crash.

Commemorative Indy 500 Stamp Available at Post Offices

By MATTHEW HEALEY

The first-class stamp depicts Ray Harroun, who won the inaugural 500-mile race at Indianapolis in 1911 in his Marmon “Wasp.”

U.S. Government Adds Hybrids and E.V.'s to Car Fleet

By JIM MOTAVALLI

The White House announced Tuesday the purchase of 116 plug-in hybrids and E.V.'s, and encouraged federal agencies to adopt smaller, more efficient vehicles.

Workers inspected a 2012 Passat on Tuesday at the new Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Volkswagen Bets on Passat Built in Tennessee

By NICK BUNKLEY

The company, signaling its commitment to the North American market, has designed a version of its Passat sedan for American tastes and is building it in Tennessee.

Have an Enjoyable Memorial Day Weekend

May 28, 2011

Classic Ad: Volkswagen's Blue-Sky Beetle

May 28, 2011

Reviewing the Ford Edge Sport

May 27, 2011

Detroit’s Rebound Is Built on Smaller Cars

By BILL VLASIC

The American auto industry has made small cars a central part of its strategy, seeking to capitalize on a shift in the preferences of consumers in an era of high gas prices.

States that logged the lowest average survey scores are colored red, while the highest-performing states are colored green.

U.S. Drivers’ Shaky Grasp of Rules

By CHERYL JENSEN

Conducted by GMAC, a new survey revealed profound knowledge gaps about traffic laws among many American drivers.

Ray LaHood, transportation secretary, and Lisa Jackson, head of the Environmental Protection Agency.

New Mileage Stickers Include Greenhouse Gas Data

By JOHN M. BRODER

New window stickers will compare a vehicle’s emissions of carbon dioxide with those of all other vehicles.

Slide Show

Decisions, Decisions

The 2011 Ford Edge Sport poses a question to drivers: When it comes to technology, is there such a thing as too many options?

Slide Show

Rubber City Classic

A 1917 roadster built by Ralph Mulford, whose testimony in a patent lawsuit helped save the tire industry in Akron, has become the passion of one Ohio man.