Diesel and hybrid sales up for 2012

When gasoline prices go up, sales follow—especially sales of diesel and hybrid cars. Diesel sales have risen a whopping 35 percent in the first quarter of 2012, according to data compiled by www.hyrbidcars.com and Baum and Associates. A total of 28,260 oil burners changed hands.

Two new Aston Martin models to debut at New York auto show

Aston Martin has announced that it will debut new versions of its Vantage and DB9 sports cars at the New York auto show. At $99,900, the Vantage GT becomes the lowest-price option in the Aston Martin lineup. With a 430-hp V8, a 190-mph top speed and some seriously attractive bodywork, the budget model could prove tempting to Porsche 911 buyers.

Honda goes social with the Sounds of Civic songwriting contest

It seems all automakers are tapping the social-media networks these days. From the Ford Mustang Mayhem package to the Toyota Prius plural campaign, conventional wisdom is there's nothing a few thousand Facebook fans can't handle. The latest automaker to hop the train is Honda, which is sponsoring a creative songwriting competition called the Sounds of Civic to mark the debut of the 2012 Honda Civic.