Where should a Corvette’s engine be? Historically, it has always been up front and usually under a rear-opening hood — which made it easier to see the Corvette’s engine, a very American big V8 — in all its insolently crude (pushrod, single cam, two-valve…

Engines are getting smaller again — but not because gas is getting expensive again. At about $2 per gallon for regular unleaded, the pressure to downsize engines isn’t economic… it’s regulatory. The federal government is about to kick up the…