June 23, 2011 1:53 PM ET

For E.V.'s and Hybrids, a Free-Spinning Alternative to Rare Earths

Switched-reluctance motors might offer a viable alternative to the expensive and scarce magnetic materials, which are sourced primarily from China.

June 23, 2011 1:01 PM ET

'Aggravating' MyFord Touch Sends Ford Plummeting in J.D. Power Quality Survey

The in-car telematics system was the primary gripe among Ford and Lincoln owners and lessees in the latest J.D. Power survey.

June 23, 2011 12:12 PM ET

Wheelies: The Think Again Edition

Think declares bankruptcy, Saab fails to make payroll and the production of a onetime best-selling pickup nears its end.

From the Automobiles Section

Behind the Wheel | 2011 Acura TSX Sport Wagon

Fresh From Europe, a Japan-Built Wagon

By LAWRENCE ULRICH

NOT AN S.U.V. The 2011 Acura TSX Sport Wagon is a slick-driving, money-saving delight that has more to offer than an S.U.V.

With all the terrific wagons available, you have to wonder why Americans hate them so much. Now, Acura has given buyers a reason to change their minds with the TSX.

Slide Show: 2011 Acura TSX Sport Wagon

FATAL ACCIDENT The burned Toyota MR2, rear, in which Jose Sierra was killed on Long Island in 1999 after crashing into a Grand Cherokee, foreground.

Crash Tests Suggest Jeep Fire Risk, Safety Group Says

By CHRISTOPHER JENSEN

Recent tests indicate that the fuel system design on 1993-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokees leaves those vehicles vulnerable to fires in rear-impact crashes, according to the Center for Auto Safety.

Wheelspin

ON TOP F.O. Stanley and his wife, Flora, in 1899 became the first people to drive up Mount Washington in New Hampshire in a car.

Taming a Mountain Road With Horses and Cars

By CHRISTOPHER JENSEN

It seems that wherever a man hacks out a road, another man wants to race on it. Next weekend drivers will again race in New Hampshire on the road that was blasted up Mount Washington 150 years ago.

Pope Benedict XVI, pictured June 4 on a papal visit in Zagreb, Croatia.

A Hybrid for His Holiness? 'No Comment,' Says Mercedes-Benz

By PAUL STENQUIST

The German automaker refused to confirm reports that the next vehicle used to transport Pope Benedict XVI during papal visits will be a plug-in hybrid based on the M-Class S.U.V.

Dieter Zetsche, Matchbox 20 and a 1937 540K Inaugurate Mercedes Showroom

By PHIL PATTON

The opening of the brand's only company-owned store in the United States was celebrated on Tuesday night.

After Child Deaths, KidsAndCars.org Renews Challenge to G.M.

By PAUL STENQUIST

The nonprofit said the recent deaths of two children who had been trapped in the trunk of a 2000 Chevrolet Malibu demanded a recall action by the automaker.

Faulty Wiper Motor Prompts Recall of Mazda 3 and Mazdaspeed 3 Models

By CHRISTOPHER JENSEN

Worldwide, the action affected more than 400,000 models from the 2008-9 model years.

Ferrari North America Chief Makes a Play for Younger Buyers

By STEPHEN WILLIAMS

Marco Mattiacci says the average Ferrari buyer in the United States is 47 years old, while in China, the brand's second-largest market, that buyer is 32.

A Visual Artist's Land Yacht Beaches in Palm Springs

By NICK CZAP

Lewis deSoto's "Conquest," based on a 1965 Chrysler New Yorker, is one of two vehicle-based sculptures from the artist on view in California this summer.