2012 Fiat 500 Abarth Turbo 1.4l I4 16v Manual Front Wheel Drive Hatchback Bose on 2040-cars

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Maserati Levante production starting next year, Alfieri could come within 28 months

Maserati is on a roll. The new Ghibli and Quattroporte have been huge successes, and it unveiled the gorgeous Alfieri concept (pictured above) at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show. The next step for the brand is getting the Levante crossover into production.
"We are getting Mirafiori ready for production [of the Levante]. The first bodies are expected for 2015," said Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne to Reuters in Geneva. He also said that there isn't much keeping the Alfieri off the streets. "The platforms and motors are there. Technically, production could start in 24-28 months," he said. However, Marchionne refused to say whether the company would actually give the concept a green light to be built.
Fiat hopes to be profitable again by 2016, and while its acquisition of Chrysler is certainly going to help, rejuvenating Alfa Romeo and Maserati are also a major part of the plan. In 2013, the Italian luxury brand saw sales more than double to 15,400 vehicles. Maser is still far away from its goal of selling 50,000 units by 2015, but it's quite a start. Fiat bought Maserati in 1993, but business went through a decade or more of doldrums and falling sales. It appears that the century-old brand is finally finding a path forward with some gorgeous new cars.

2020 Fiat 124 Spider Abarth Review | Miata Arrabbiata

The Mazda MX-5 Miata is one of our favorite sports cars, and it’s hard to imagine how it could be improved – especially after Mazda added a revvier, more powerful engine for 2019. That presents a potential issue for its platform mate, the 2020 Fiat 124 Spider, which hasnÂ’t received a similar update. So we spent some time behind the wheel of an Abarth version on the road and on a track to see if thereÂ’s a reason to choose it over its new-and-improved twin. While itÂ’s unchanged for 2020, the 124 AbarthÂ’s engine does the lionÂ’s share of the work charming the driver. The 164-horsepower 1.4-liter turbocharged inline-four is no longer more powerful than the MiataÂ’s 181-hp 2.0-liter naturally aspirated engine, but the Abarth remains the torque king, packing 184 pound-feet to the MiataÂ’s 151 lb-ft. More importantly, the Abarth makes its power down low, feeling punchier at low rpm and taking far less work with the shifter to keep it in the power band. ThatÂ’s particularly nice around town when you might not want to push the car to redline repeatedly. The trade-off is that it feels much less exciting near redline, and the throttle response is lethargic compared with the snappy Mazda engine. And on a racetrack, that extra precision and power at the top end makes for a more rewarding experience. Besides user-friendly torque, what sets the 124 Spider Abarth from the Mazda is the sound. The Abarth is the only 124 available with the special Record Monza exhaust, and it makes the Fiat growl and snarl like only Italian cars can. And of course, itÂ’s all the better when you drop the top, expediting the sound to your ears. It makes the car feel more expensive and unusual than it is. Now, the Miata has its own more refined purr thatÂ’s lovely, too, but the FiatÂ’s soundtrack is giggle-inducing at every drop of the throttle. Capping off the powertrain is the FiatÂ’s transmission that I found to be just a bit better than the ND MiataÂ’s. It has heavier, more mechanical shifts that arenÂ’t as notchy as the MiataÂ’s. ThatÂ’s still a compliment to Mazda, though, as the FiatÂ’s transmission comes from the previous-generation NC Miata. It was chosen to handle the turbo engine's torque. The only complaint is the bizarrely shaped shift knob that never felt comfortable regardless of my grip. The AbarthÂ’s styling is another point of differentiation.

Continental Automotive recalls 5 million airbag control units

Takata isn't the only supplier having airbag problems. Rival manufacturer Continental Automotive Systems announced a recall of 5 million airbag control units fitted to vehicles from Honda, Fiat Chrysler Automotive, Mercedes-Benz, and even a certain Chrysler-based Volkswagen. This sweeping recall has actually been in progress for some time, although the exact scope is only now becoming evident. In October of 2015, Mercedes-Benz recalled 2008 and 2009 model year C- and GLK-Class vehicles because their Continental-made airbag control units could corrode. Such a condition could cause the airbags to deploy without cause or warning, or in the event of a crash, not deploy at all. You can read all about it in our post from last year. Now, Continental's recall is going wide. Alongside the already recalled C and GLK, you've already heard about the 2008 and 2009 Honda Accord airbag recall, which we reported on yesterday. Now, Fiat Chrysler is announcing the recall of the 2009 Dodge Journey, as well as the 2008 and 2009 Dodge Grand Caravan, Chrysler Town and Country, and their rebadged counterpart, the Volkswagen Routan. Yes, one manufacturer is recalling another manufacturer's vehicle. The models listed above only amount to about 580,000 vehicles out of 5 million bad airbag control units. And since Continental will notify manufacturers who will then issue their own recalls, it's extremely likely that more brands and vehicles will be ensnared. Stay tuned. Related Video: News Source: NHTSA via Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Fabian Bimmer / Reuters Recalls Chrysler Dodge Fiat Honda Mercedes-Benz Safety Crossover Minivan/Van Sedan FCA