#steel

Dietary fiber is good for the body. Among its many benefits, plant-based roughage speeds digestion, helps stave off hunger and can even lower cholesterol levels. Doctors are always urging their patients to eat more of the stuff.

General Motors is pioneering the use of magnesium sheet metal on its vehicles with the possibility of double-digit fuel economy gains.

Set for its unveiling next month in Paris, the 2013 Volkswagen Golf is going on a serious diet that will reduce weight and fuel consumption significantly.

Ford CEO Alan Mulally told an audience that he finds it difficult to justify the cost of composite materials like carbon fiber, and that steel and alloys still have a place in automotive production.