Mercruiser Pre Alpha -- Tilt And Trim Cylinders -- 87173 on 2040-parts.com

Ram introduces CNG-powered pickup

Aside from the Honda Civic Natural Gas, compressed-natural-gas-powered vehicles have usually been converted after the fact, generally for fleet use. Chrysler is hoping to carve out a niche in the corporate-pickup segment by selling a factory-built CNG Ram 2500 that can seamlessly switch over to gasoline operation when the natural-gas tanks run dry. The twin 4.6-cubic-foot CNG tanks (which store the equivalent of 18.2 gallons of gas) take up a section of the bed, while an eight-gallon gasoline tank provides fuel during start-up and then reserve capacity when the compressed tanks are tapped out, allowing the bruiser a measure of operational flexibility.

Dacia Sandero: Price from £5,995

The new 2013 Dacia Sandero – revealed at Paris 2012 – is to cost from just £5,995 when it arrives in the UK in January 2013. The Sandero joins the Dacia Duster SUV in an attack on the burgeoning ‘Budget’ market in the UK and stands out as a Fiesta rival at almost half the price you’d pay for entry in to Ford’s evergreen supermini (£9,795). The Sandero’s styling isn’t cutting edge, but nor does it shriek ‘Cheap’ at first glance.

Hyundai Curb Concept at Detroit

Hyundai Curb Concept - on show at Detroit Whatever your opinion about Hyundai - and Kia, for that matter – we’d bet that it’s changed in the last few years. From dismissing Hyundai as the Lada for our age, you’ve probably come to accept, as have we, that they are churning out cars that deserve a place in the market. Hyundai’s offerings may not be up your street – you may prefer something with a posher badge – but what’s on offer with Hyundai’s latest models does need to be considered alongside much of the best from Japan, if you’re looking to buy in that market.