Yamaha 69j-13716-00-00 Collar on 2040-parts.com

Autoweek in review: What you may have missed

It was a slower week in the newsroom as 2012 winded down. On Monday, we learned how motorcycles were coming back and got some ideas for last-minute holiday gifts. In the racing world, the Trans Am Series announced that it’s expanding the 2013 race schedule.

Renault Initiale Paris concept (2013) at Frankfurt motor show

The Renault Initiale Paris concept previews the next-gen Espace, with a view to shifting the new MPV upmarket. Whether a Renault people carrier can be taken seriously as an upmarket proposition is up to you, but there’s no arguing with some of the exceptional attention to detail dotted around the Initiale Paris. What’s under the Renault Initiale Paris’s bonnet?

Ram 1500 EcoDiesels are selling like hotcakes so far

We've been anticipating the arrival of the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel -- and speculating about what it means for the pickup market -- for months. On paper, the truck seems to make perfect sense: The 3.0-liter V6 in the 1500 EcoDiesel returns 23 mpg combined (20 city/28 highway) while producing 240 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque. After taking it for a spin, the $30,465 base price didn't seem too bad, either.