2013 Fiat 500 Abarth 2 Door Coupe Red 10k Miles on 2040-cars

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Stellantis to halt production at Melfi, Italy, car plant in April, union says

MILAN — Carmaker Stellantis will halt production at its plant in Melfi, southern Italy, April 2-12 because of low demand triggered by the COVID-19 crisis, the UILM union said on Monday. Production at the plant, where the world's fourth largest automaker makes Jeep Renegade and Compass models and the Fiat 500X compact SUV, has been repeatedly disrupted due to weak demand and semiconductor supply shortages. The FIM CISL union said last week the firm was considering permanently closing one of its two production lines at the Melfi plant to address excess capacity in Italy. European car registrations fell 23% year on year in the first two months of this year, according to industry data, as protracted coronavirus lockdowns and consequent uncertainty keep impacting spending decisions among families and businesses. UILM's Gianluca Ficco said on Monday the company told unions the latest Melfi production freeze was specifically due to low demand and not a result of the global chip shortage. A spokesman for Stellantis confirmed the plant would be closed in that April 2-12 period. All of Melfi's more than 7,000 workers would be put on a furlough scheme for the period.  

Fiat reveals new Aegea Project sedan in Istanbul

You'd be forgiven for boiling Fiat down to the 500 and its growing roster of spinoffs, but overseas the Italian brand sells a wide range of models. Like this new sedan, for example. Unveiled today at the Istanbul Motor Show is the Fiat Aegea Project, in reference to the sea on the western shore of Turkey, where FCA operates one of its largest plants. The Fiat Aegea Project has about the same exterior dimensions as a Ford Focus sedan, with room for five and an array of gasoline and diesel engines ranging from 95 horsepower to 120, mated to a manual or automatic transmission. While tacking a trunk on to a hatchback (or carving a notch out of a sport wagon) may be common practice with some of its competitors, the Aegea was designed from the get-go as a three-box sedan, giving it better balanced proportions. Design work was carried out in Italy at the company's Centro Stile, with development undertaken at the Tofas R&D center adjacent to the Bursa plant where it will be built. Though sure to get a different name before it reaches production, the Aegea is slated to go on sale in Turkey this coming November before rolling out to 40 more markets in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Just don't expect it to see it nestled between a couple of neo-Cinquecentos in showrooms Stateside. Related Video: NEW FIAT AEGEA PROJECT DEBUTS AT ISTANBUL MOTOR SHOW - The new FIAT compact sedan makes its debut today at the Istanbul Motor Show, in recognition of Turkey's strategic importance to FIAT Chrysler Automobiles global operations - Conceived from the outset as a three box sedan, it combines harmonious design with highly efficient use of space - The name of the project – FIAT Aegea Project – also pays tribute to Turkey's pivotal role in its development, manufacture and anticipated success - On sale from November in Turkey, it will gradually reach over 40 countries across Europe, the Middle East and Africa The all-new FIAT compact sedan debuts today at the Istanbul Motor Show. Designed in Italy at the FIAT Chrysler Automobiles Centro Stile, and developed in Turkey together with Tofas R&D, one of FCA's largest research and development centres, the new model will be manufactured in the Bursa plant in Turkey, which has been designated Gold Medal status by World Class Manufacturing in recognition of its efficiency, quality and eco-friendliness.

Jolly time: Fiat's Spiaggina concept honors the 1958 beach classic

You're looking at one of the coolest Fiat concepts of recent years. Built to honor the 60 th anniversary of the original Fiat Jolly, or "Spiaggina," the 500 Spiaggina Concept is a lovely little bathtub of a Fiat with cork floors. There's just the tiniest vestigial aero screen left to remind us that the 500 does originally come with a roof structure, and the triangles of the cut-down A-pillars are just tall enough to house small speakers, above the now blue-white dashboard. For structural rigidity's sake, and to protect the occupants in a rollover situation, there's a white hoop towering above the seatbacks, but mostly it just makes the car look more like a plastic coolbox. And very cool it is, as it looks like the perfect thing for driving to a Mediterranean beach — it even comes complete with a shower so one can get rid of excess sand. And of course it's a manual: The dashboard-mounted gearshift leaves room for the full-width bench seat that has taken the place of regular buckets. The rear seats are no more, as the rear end of the car has been dedicated for storage, complete with a fold-down tailgate. The whitewall tires exaggerate the wheels to a great effect, as the retro wheels now look like there's just the slightest rubber band around them. The Spiaggina concept has been created by Garage Italia, which is run by Fiat heir Lapo Elkann. Pininfarina has also been involved with the concept, even if the original wicker-work Jolly was built by Carrozzeria Ghia instead. While the completely open Spiaggina will remain a flight of fancy and a one-off, it will actually spawn a production version, albeit a tamer one. There will be a matching "Volare Blue" convertible production version called the Spiaggina '58, which will retain the roof structure and the folding roof of the stock convertible. It's good, but it's not cut-down, cork-floored concept good; 1,958 cars will be made. Related Video: