1963 Alfa Romeo Giulia 1600 Spider on 2040-cars

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Alfa Romeo Stelvio CUV to debut at 2016 LA Auto Show

America loves crossovers. Alfa Romeo wants to succeed in America. So it only makes sense that the troubled Italian automaker will introduce its first ever CUV on American soil. That's per a report from Australia's Motoring, which claims we'll clap eyes on the Stelvio for the first time this November in Los Angeles. The news was announced by Alfa Romeo and Maserati boss Harald Wester, who said it'd be a late fall debut, according to Motoring. That almost certainly means the mid-November to-do in LA. "We will have an additional product in the [CUV] segment with the new Alfa, to be presented in late Autumn this year, and for the time being there are no plans for Maserati to further extend our range downwards in the more compact SUV segment," Wester told Motoring. The Stelvio – the name was confirmed by FCA boss Sergio Marchionne last month and comes from the iconic Italian pass and the snaking road attached to it – will be based on the Giulia's rear-wheel-drive platform, and will be offered in both two- and four-wheel drive versions. Like the Giulia, there will be both four- and six-cylinder options, which according to the Aussies will include a high-performance Quadrifoglio Verde model. Related Video:

FCA joining virtual CES with in-depth tours and Jeep Wrangler 4xe in AR

CES is sort of, technically happening, but it won’t be the CES weÂ’ve all become accustomed to over the years. Automakers will be doing their best to participate virtually, assuming they decide to join in the festivities at all. FCA is one that will have a little nugget of tech to share with us. A few main experiences will be made available to anybody with a computer. FCAÂ’s main draw is meant to be “highly detailed interactive product tours” where you can get to know a number of vehicles in a virtual world and hear from a “virtual brand ambassador” throughout the tour. You wonÂ’t be able to sit in and crawl through the cars like a normal auto show for the public, but FCA is promising a rather immersive experience online. The guided tour through the cars and technologies will be available in 12 FCA vehicles, two of those being the new Jeep Grand Wagoneer Concept and Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio. FCA plans to offer in-depth talks about how it tests vehicles, too. There are demonstrations planned for wind tunnels, the four-post shaker, an advanced drive simulator and general performance testing. Additionally, FCA plans on providing more insight into Uconnect 5 and vehicle electrification systems. WeÂ’re guessing the latter will offer up details on the Wrangler 4xe. The plug-in hybrid Wrangler will also be the star of FCAÂ’s AR play at CES. Everybody will be able to scan a QR code on FCAÂ’s site, then have access to a Wrangler 4xe on their phone. YouÂ’ll be able to “put it” in your driveway virtually, change the colors and get up close and personal with the interior.  All of this will launch on fcaces2021.com at 9 a.m. ET on January 11 (official first day of the virtual CES show), so surf on over there next week if you want to check it out. Related video:

B.A.T. Alfa Trinity, some of the world's most famous concept cars, are up for auction

Of the cars that never saw production, there are a handful that nevertheless have had an outsized influence. Among the most famous are the wild Berlinetta Aerodynamica Technica (B.A.T.) concepts commissioned by Alfa Romeo in the mid-1950s. Three B.A.T. Alfas were created by Italy's Bertone design house and were unveiled at succeeding Turin auto shows in 1953, '54, and '55. The cars are now coming up for auction for the first time as a group at RM Sotheby's Contemporary Art Evening Auction in New York on October 28. The first of the trio was B.A.T. 5, which like its successors was built on the Alfa 1900 Sprint production chassis. The goal of the B.A.T. 5 was aerodynamic efficiency, and the car boasted a cD of 0.23. Aiding the cause were covered front wheels, a greenhouse with steeply curved side glass, and twin tail fins. The second concept was B.A.T. 7, from 1954. It has the wildest styling of the trio, with sharply curved tail fins. It also has the lowest drag coefficient, at 0.19. B.A.T. 9, from 1955, was the most production-feasible of the group. It features an Alfa Romeo shield grille at the front and exposed headlights with clear covers. All three are credited to Franco Scaglione, working with Nuccio Bertone. They were seen together for the first time at the 1989 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. They would appear together again at Pebble Beach in 2005 and at Bertone's 80th-anniversary celebration in 1992. The cars were acquired by a single owner sometime after their first Pebble Beach appearance. The ability to acquire all three at once is part of what makes this an extraordinary opportunity. The B.A.T. Alfas are being sold as a single lot and are expected to bring between $14 million and $20 million.