1979 Fiat 124 Spider on 2040-cars

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Fiat 124 Abarth spied looking sporty

Fiat isn't wasting any time. Mere weeks after the Italian brand introduced the new 124 Spider, we've captured our first spy shots of the Scorpion-badged Abarth model undergoing testing somewhere in Europe. The biggest giveaway that this is the hotted-up 124 are the four pipes sticking out of the rear bumper. While we can get a good look at the new exhaust arrangement, camouflage conceals a new bumper with bigger front intakes, meatier side sills, and of course, bigger wheels. As for the matte black hood – a touch that would be inspired by the Abarth 124 of yore – we simply can't spot anything to indicate that it's here (or that it's not, for that matter). You can check out this render for an idea of what the body mods will end up looking like. While our spies are reporting that the 124 Abarth will only get 170 horsepower in standard trim, that shouldn't disappoint you. Like the 500, the European 124 Abarth will likely come in two power levels, with the US market Abarth getting the higher output as standard. Our spies expect the EsseEsse model to produce 210 to 220 hp, which will probably sound a bit more palatable to US enthusiasts. There's no telling when the 124 Abarth will debut right now – it's still a bit too early in the process – although either Geneva or New York, both of which take place near the beginning of convertible season, would probably be safe bets.

Automakers want to stop the EPA's fuel economy rules change, and why that's a shortsighted move

With a Trump Administration looming, the EPA moved quickly after the election to propose finalizing future fuel economy rules last week. The auto industry doesn't like that (surprise), and has started making moves to stop the EPA. Ford CEO Mark Fields said he wanted to lobby Trump to lower the standards, and now the Auto Alliance, a manufacturer group, is saying it will join the fight against cleaner cars. The Alliance represents 12 automakers: BMW, Fiat Chrysler, Ford, GM, Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Porsche, Toyota, VW, and Volvo. Gloria Bergquist, a spokesperson for the Alliance, told Automotive News that the "EPA's sudden and controversial move to propose auto regulations eight months early - even after Congress warned agencies about taking such steps while political appointees were packing their bags - calls out for congressional action to pause this rulemaking until a thoughtful policy review can occur." The EPA was going to consider public comments through April 2017, but then said it would move the deadline to the end of December. That means that it can finalize the rules before President Obama leaves office. The director of public affairs for the Consumer Federation of America, Jack Gillis, said on a conference call with reporters last week when the EPA originally announced its decision that it is unlikely that President Trump will be able to roll back these changes. Gillis also said on the same call that any attempt by the automakers to prevent these changes would be history repeating itself. "These are the same companies that fought airbags, and now promoting the fact that every car has multiple airbags," he said. "These are the same companies that fought the crash-test program, and now are promoting the crash-test ratings published by the government. So, it's clear that they're misperceiving the needs of the American consumer." There are more reasons the Allliance's pushback is flawed. Carol Lee Rawn, the transportation program director for Ceres, said on that call that the automotive industry is a global one, and many automakers are moving to global platforms to help them meet strict fuel economy rules around the world.

UAW chooses FCA as lead bargaining company

The United Auto Workers has chosen Fiat Chrysler Automobiles as its lead bargaining company as it seeks to finalize new contracts with the 140,000 or so workers represented by the union. That doesn't mean the UAW won't continue to talk with Ford and General Motors. "All three companies have been working with UAW bargaining teams toward a collective bargaining agreement and continue to do so," UAW President Dennis Williams said in a statement. It does mean, however, that any deal the UAW strikes with FCA will form the basis of bargaining talks with the other two American automakers. Contracts between the UAW and the Detroit Three automakers are set to expire tonight at midnight. If no deal is made, both parties may vote to extend the previous contract. Industry analysts polled by The Detroit News suggest that a deal with FCA might be the most difficult to reach, since it is the smallest and least profitable of the three US car companies, and because of its high percentage of second-tier workers. There's a super short statement on the matter from the UAW, and there's an equally concise confirmation from FCA. Feel free to read them below. Detroit – The UAW this afternoon announced that FCA US LLC will be the lead target in Big Three auto talks. "All three companies are working hard toward a collective bargaining agreement. At this time, the UAW has selected FCA US LLC to be the lead bargaining company," said Dennis Williams, President of the UAW. "All three companies have been working with UAW bargaining teams toward a collective bargaining agreement and continue to do so." -------- Statement regarding the Status of Contract Talks between FCA US LLC and the UAW FCA US LLC confirms that it has been selected as the company to set pattern on a collective bargaining agreement with the UAW. As negotiations are ongoing, the Company can offer no further comment at this time.