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Playboy's Playmate of the Year gets a Fiat 124 Spider

As Playboy's latest – and possibly last – Playmate of the Year, we have little doubt that Eugena Washington can get a ride in just about any car she wants. But for the next two years she'll be driving herself around in a 2017 Fiat 124 Spider – the model that FCA has fittingly positioned as the automotive equivalent of Viagra. A two-year lease on the Japanese-made, Italian-styled roadster is part of Washington's prize package for winning the magazine's top honor, along with $100,000 in cash. The actress and model has already made it to the top three in the seventh season of Tyra Banks' show America's Next Top Model and has appeared in advertising campaigns for Lexus, Target, and an array of cosmetics brands. Eugena is the publication's 57th Playmate of the Year, and the third black woman to receive the title (following 1990's Renee Tenison and Ida Ljungqvist in 2009). But she may also be the last as the magazine, in an historic move, transitions away from nudity in print and into the mainstream to compete with publications like GQ and Vanity Fair. Related Video: Eugena Washington, Playboy's 2016 Playmate of the Year, With All-new 2017 Fiat 124 Spider May 12, 2016 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - Eugena Washington, an accomplished model and actress from Palmdale, California, has been named Playboy's 2016 Playmate of the Year. Along with her title, Washington receives $100,000 in prize money and a two-year lease on the all-new 2017 Fiat 124 Spider. Reviving the storied nameplate, the all-new 2017 Fiat 124 Spider brings its classic Italian styling and performance to a new generation. Paying homage to the original 124 Spider nearly 50 years after its introduction, the 2017 Fiat 124 Spider delivers the ultimate Italian roadster experience with driving excitement, technology and safety combined with iconic Italian design. Washington is featured on the cover and a 10-page pictorial inside Playboy's June 2016 issue. Click here for more from the May 11 announcement. ### Playboy Names Eugena Washington Its 2016 Playmate Of The Year LOS ANGELES, May 11, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Eugena Washington, an accomplished model and actress from Palmdale, California, has been named Playboy's 2016 Playmate of the Year and will be formally introduced to press today at the Playboy Mansion in Holmby Hills, California.

Apple picks up former FCA quality boss Doug Betts

Apple made a significant personnel move that further signals its entry into the automotive world, hiring former Fiat Chrysler executive Doug Betts for an unspecified role. The information was obtained by The Wall Street Journal, which cites Betts' LinkedIn page. His career included stints at Toyota and Nissan before joining Chrysler Group (now FCA US LLC) in 2007, although his time there didn't end well. He left FCA, where he served as the automaker's head of quality, after the company's dismal showing in Consumer Reports' 2014 Annual Auto Reliability Survey. According to Betts' LinkedIn profile, which has since been pulled down, his job title reads "Operations – Apple Inc" in the San Francisco Bay area. Apple, meanwhile, was unwilling to divulge anything to the WSJ, although there's plenty to infer based on the hire. Betts wasn't the only big auto-related hire. According to the WSJ, Cupertino also lured an unnamed but "leading" autonomous vehicle researcher from Europe, who will be part of a team being setup to study driverless systems. Related Video:

Highlights and standouts from the 2015 LA Auto Show

This year's LA Auto Show has been packed with interesting debuts and fascinating industry trends. The Autoblog team is on the scene to examine all the new metal, and Senior Editor Greg Migliore has some show highlights for us in the video above. In particular, the new Fiat 124 Spider and Honda Civic Coupe stand out as important debuts. The Fiat is based on the excellent Mazda Miata, with a turbocharged 1.4-liter engine and revised styling. The Civic Coupe is a striking redesign of an extremely popular and important model for the company. And the restyled Ford Escape looks more like its bigger brother, the Explorer. There's this an much more in our video above. Watch it and let us know what you think – and look for more LA Auto Show coverage coming soon.