Looking rather lonely and out of place in Mopar’s massive SEMA booth was Mopar Underground’s Fiat 500 Carbon. Amidst all the heavy American muscle was this customized Italian compact featuring an Anodized Azzurro exterior with blackened accents. Peering behind each 17×7-inch Dark Hyper Black wheel were bright red calipers, giving a solid contrast to the...
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Fiat has officially confirmed it will add a third model to its U.S. lineup, debuting the new 500 Abarth at the LA Auto Show. Looking like a kitted-out version of the standard 500, this car is certain to hit the sweet spot with enthusiasts, and is expected to come equipped with a turbocharged 1.4-liter 4-cylinder...
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Maserati has long been Ferrari‘s little brother. However, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne believes Maserati is well placed to play a far more important role. Insisting that Ferrari is not sold to the same market of buyers as Porsche or Bentley, and can only belong to an elite realm shared with Lamborghini and Bugatti, Marchionne has...
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Fiat has announced that it will be showcasing a pair of custom 500s at this year’s SEMA Show. According to Fiat the 500 Titanium is a discretely tuned 500 with more aggressive styling while the Fiat 500 Carbon features more subtle modifications, accenting the Italian hatchback’s styling, craftsmanship and nimble handling. Both vehicles get upgraded...
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Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne is making Alfa Romeo’s U.S. re-launch a top priority, calling it “the most difficult thing I have to do”. Alfa Romeo last sold cars in the U.S. in 1995, but the brand still has a strong image in the U.S., spurring Marchionne to focus efforts on North America. Alfa Romeo’s image...
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The Sports Car Club of America’s B-Spec class is meant to give automakers and racers alike a relatively affordable platform to go racing with machines similar to those available from the factory. While safety and chassis modifications are allowed, engine power is restricted to keep the playing field even. Honda and Mazda were among the...
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The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has named the 2012 Fiat 500 a Top Safety Pick, joining eight Chrysler Group models that are Top Safety Picks by the IIHS for 2011. Top Safety Picks are recognized by the IIHS as vehicles with “good” performance in front, side, rollover and rear crash test evaluations done at...
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A public disagreement between Volkswagen and Suzuki in early September left the Japanese automaker wanting to end its partnership, but that might not happen. In a news release Monday, the company said it “will retain its stake in Suzuki Motor Corp. unchanged.” Suzuki requested its shares be returned in light of what representatives say are...
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Two employees at Italian tuning house Abarth have been arrested for selling $1.3 million in stolen parts, while 23 other employees and Italian postal service workers have been summoned for questioning after an 8-month investigation. Abarth became aware of the scam after several dealers complained that several tuning kits, used to upgrade Fiat 500 and...
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Romeo Ferraris is clearly looking to offer a street-legal version of their widebody race Abarth 500, and now the Italian tuning firm has released some photos of their Abarth 500 Stradale. Not many details were packaged with the photos, but Romeo Ferraris was quick to announce the 1.4L turbo engine will pack 300-hp. The 500...
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With a new look, a new engine, a much improved interior and better ride quality you’d think the folks at Chrysler would be pleased with their new Dodge Grand Caravan? After all, it has even been met with much-improved comments from the automotive media. It may have started the entire minivan segment, but Fiat CEO...
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The SEMA Show (Specialty Equipment Market Association) provides the unique opportunity to let suppliers and aftermarket tuners showcase their new products and innovations. This year, Brandmotion, an award winning supplier of OEM-grade custom products, earned the opportunity to work with FIAT to customize a 2012 FIAT 500. FIAT launched a competition for aftermarket suppliers to...
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Jeep has scrapped plans to build a replacement for their Patriot and Compass SUVs in Italy, and will instead build a subcompact Jeep product in Italy that will also be badged as a Fiat in world markets. The car will replace the Fiat Sedici, which is itself based on the Suzuki SX4. Jeep will then...
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Chrysler has launched their first two re-badged Lancia product in the UK (where the Lancia brand has been defunct for a number of years), with a pair of hatchbacks based on the Lancia Delta and Ypsilon compact and subcompact cars. The Ypsilon shares a platform with the Fiat 500 and will be available with the...
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Those who sign up have the chance to earn prizes and the vehicle design ultimately selected as the winner will be on display at SEMA from November 1st to November 4th.
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October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Fiat is helping out this great cause by producing 250 “Pink Ribbon” limited edition Fiat 500 models. Partnering with The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), these limited edition Fiat 500’s are adorned with a sleek pink strip the run the length of the outside panels of the car,...
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Sales targets for the Fiat 500 were set at an ambitious 6,000 units per month, and surprise surprise, the car isn’t meeting them. This might be due to the fact that it’s a subcompact, foreign branded car in a market where gasoline is (relatively) cheap and large vehicles reign supreme. Or it could be the...
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A report by Roland Berger Strategy Consultants claims that by 2015, Brazil will be the world’s third largest auto market, with China and the United States occupying the first and second slots respectively. Brazil will displace Japan as the third largest market, as sales are expected to double to 6.6 million vehicles by 2020. The...
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It’s that time of the year again as Car of the Year begins the laborious task of whittling down new Car of the Year contenders for 2012. A total of 59 journalists, representing automotive authorities across 23 European countries, have been recruited for the task of choosing top car. The number of journalists to represent...
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After a two year alliance between Volkswagen and Suzuki, relations and communication quickly deteriorated earlier this September after Suzuki had gone to Fiat to supply their engines. Volkswagen, upset at the deal, very publically claimed it was a serious breach of Suzuki’s contract. Now, Suzuki Chairman and CEO, Mr. Osamu Suzuki, is demanding Volkswagen to...
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The Fiat/Chrysler marketing masterminds are at it again. A follow-up to the wildly popular Chrysler 200 commercial featuring Eminem in Detroit and the signature beat from his “8 Mile” soundtrack, the automaker has now recruited the beautiful Jennifer Lopez to endorse its adorable 2012 Fiat 500C. The combination is so irresistible, in fact, that the...
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Abarth showed off its 695 Competizione at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show and the Fiat 500-based Competizione is track ready packing over 180-hp with a roll cage. Abarth began by stripping the rear seat from the 500 and in its place is the rear bracing for a roll bar. And while we find Abarth’s claim...
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The Fiat and Chrysler product osmosis continues. Chrysler first revealed its plan for a Fiat collaborated small commercial van for the North American market back in November 2009. Finally, here it is. Tofas Turk Otomobil Fabrikasi, Fiat’s Turkish joint venture, announced that it will supply Ram with 190,000 units of the Fiat Doblo small panel...
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The original Fiat 500 by Gucci was an overwhelming success, quickly garnering over 3,000 pre-orders, pushing the two Italian companies to release a cabriolet version of their customized 500. The 500C by Gucci shares much of the same modifications its hardtop counterpart has, being offered at a little over $28,350. It’ll inherit the same color...
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