Genuine Ford Snap Ring Bc3z-7d483-k on 2040-parts.com

Autoweek's Best of the Best/Truck finalists for 2014

Every year, hundreds of new cars and trucks pass through our fleet for evaluation, and we're always on the lookout for those dazzling few deserving more careful scrutiny for our top honors: The Autoweek Best of the Best. We strive to do our judging under the radar with as little manufacturer knowledge as possible. We test for the Best of the Best by checking drivetrain, ride quality, handling, exterior styling and the like.

Renault Pitches Affordable Self-Driving Technology

RENAULT is the latest company to dip its toe into the waters of self-driving car technology. Pitching its contribution as a way of combating tiredness and stress plus allowing drivers to multitask and let the car take the strain, the French firm is looking to 2020 as the year when its bold vision could become a reality. There is a catch though, as Renault’s vision of an autonomous driving future centres around the provision of ‘protected’ roads devoid of pedestrians or other hazards to make the reality of hands off driving possible.

AutoWeek office swag: Mazda rotary-engine keychain with realistic motion

When I got the keys to our long-term 2011 Mazda 5 last week, they came with a surprise--this aluminum-and-brass keychain in the shape of a rotary-engine housing, complete with moving rotor. The rotor doesn't just rattle around or spin in a circle. Thanks to a thumbwheel on the back of the housing, coupled with a timing gear and offset crank journal, the thing actually moves in an approximation of epitrochoidal motion just like a real Wankel.