The spreading exchange rate differential between the strengthening euro and weakening U.S. dollar means importing European manufactured models to North America is now significantly more expensive than just a few years ago. Established import brands are already finding it tough so imagine the challenge Alfa Romeo will have on its hands with trying to juggle […]
The German tuners at Hamann are better known for their treatments of high-end hardware from the likes of BMW and Ferrari, but they have turned their talents toward the economy-end of the specturm before, with the Mini MKII. This time, it’s the Fiat 500 that gets the tuner’s handiwork applied to its economical […]
Hoping to repeat the success of the revival of the 500 ‘Cinquecento’ minicar last year, Fiat will be brushing off another classic nameplate with new reports claiming the ‘Topolino’ name is set for a comeback. Fiat is planning to build a new family of low-cost B-segment models at the former Zastava plant in Serbia starting […]
The worsening exchange rate differential between the strengthening euro and weakening U.S. dollar means importing European manufactured models to North America is now significantly more expensive than just a few years ago. It’s a problem Alfa Romeo has to juggle with as it attempts to re-establish itself in the U.S. next year, but there’s hope […]
While Japanese and U.S. carmakers have laid the ground-work for the sale of petrol-electric hybrid vehicles, European carmakers are taking a slightly different route by developing diesel-electric powertrains. BMW, PSA Peugeot-Citroen and Mercedes-Benz have all unveiled diesel-electric hybrid concept vehicles with the intention the cars will eventually enter production, and now Fiat has joined the […]
There have long been rumors of Fiat developing several new variants of the wildly successful Fiat 500 and recently the first of these, a new wagon or ‘Giardinetta,’ has been spotted with some heavy camouflage. Despite engineers’ best attempts to cover the car, the prototype is easily recognizable as an extended version of […]
If Alfa Romeo is serious about competing with Germany’s premium labels it will eventually have to drop its core FWD lineup or at least offer more affordable rear-drive models. However, the carmaker’s low volume status makes developing a brand new premium RWD platform unfeasible. One solution is to license an existing design from another carmaker, […]
The 500 ‘Cinquecento’ has proven to be a runaway success for Fiat, with the entire 2008 production run selling out in just three weeks and order books for next year already starting to fill. Customers from all walks of life are lining up to get behind the wheel of the classic-styled hatch, including […]
With the sale of Jaguar and Land Rover to India’s Tata Group expected to be announced within days, Italian giant Fiat may finally gain access to premium RWD and AWD technologies it’s always dreamt of. Fiat was one of the first carmakers rumored to be interested in buying Jaguar and Land Rover because of its […]
As governments around the world get tougher on emissions levels carmakers are being forced to downsize their engines and implement more fuel saving technologies. Fiat, along with a number of other carmakers, has set itself a target of reducing its emissions by 7% and to do this it’s looking at introducing new diesel […]
Indian giant Tata is on the verge of finalizing its takeover of Jaguar and Land Rover and now its Chief Ratan Tata has hinted that his next acquisition could be a stake in Ferrari. Tata is already heavily involved with Ferrari’s parent company Fiat, joining the Italian carmaker’s board back in 2006 after he was […]
Just as Mini did with its Challenge racing series, Fiat will be launching a new competition for its 500 minicar called the 5Hundred Cup. The new series is being sponsored by Speedway Communications together with Fiat and will official launch at a ceremony planned to take place at the Vallelunga circuit near Rome. […]
Italian coachbuilder Castagna has revealed a pair of wood-panelled cars it has developed for this week’s Geneva Motor Show. Designers used the new Mini Clubman as well as a stretched Fiat 500 hatch dubbed the ‘WoodyWagon’. The modified 500 is in fact the first stretched version of the new mini-hatch and it includes […]
BMW arguably builds some of the finest engines in the industry but the carmaker isn’t one to prevent other makes from using its powerplants. Only last week Citroen announced plans to use BMW engines in some of its cars and soon GM and Fiat could be doing the same.
Both GM and Fiat are currently in […]
The rejuvenated Fiat 500 Cinquecento has proven so popular that demand has been outstripping supply for the first six months of sales, and with a host of new models on the way and no sign of demand slowing officials have been forced to boost production to 190,000 units a year. Fiat originally planned to build […]