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Fiat pondering swallowing rest of Chrysler, US IPO

At the moment, Fiat is in court with the United Auto Workers, waiting for the justice system to provide some guidance on a fair price for 41.5-percent of Chrysler it doesn't own. Fiat owns 58.5 percent of the company and wishes to buy the remainder, which is owned by the union's VEBA retiree trust, but the Italian company and the UAW are on different sides of the galaxy when it comes to assigning a fair price to that outstanding stake.
Naturally, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne is considering his options. A new report in the The Wall Street Journal says one of the scenarios being considered now is - depending on the outcome of the court case - to purchase the 41.5-percent stake and then issue an IPO to recoup some of the cost. About two months ago, Marchionne put the odds of an IPO for a wholly combined Fiat/Chrysler at 50 percent. Even with the WSJ report, it's not clear if those odds have changed.
The current company structure leaves a lot of options as to how a potential IPO could be issued, but it's said that Marchionne is against it, preferring "to be one company," under Fiat, indivisible. If Fiat is finally able to purchase all of the Pentastar, it would get access to Chrysler's war chest, pegged at $11.9 billion at the end of Q3 in 2012, and that money can't come soon enough for a brand taking a beating in Europe and delaying product over cash concerns.

Fiat's billboard helps drivers parallel park

In some vehicles with bad visibility out the back and no rear sensors for help, parallel parking can get a little difficult. For drivers at one particular parking spot in Germany, though, it could hardly be easier. Fiat and advertising agency Leo Burnett Germany created an interactive billboard where a variety of characters assist drivers in parking. Ultrasonic sensors that are attached to the other vehicles in the surrounding parking spots are the key to this novel idea. They monitor how close a driver's car is getting, and the character on the screen shows how much room is left before crashing. For some added visual interest, the helpers change each time, including a woman in a Playboy bunny outfit, an old man, a little girl, and others. The stunt looks quite inventive in this video and is meant to promote Fiat's Park Assist feature.

The Abarth 695 Biposto Record is 190 hp tribute to speed

Abarth earned an early reputation for tuning big power from small-displacement engines. The company's Fiat Abarth 1000 Monoposto Record set class acceleration records at Monza in 1965, with Carlo Abarth himself behind the wheel. The limited edition 695 Biposto Record now celebrates the 50th anniversary of those titles with the hottest version of the Fiat 500 on the street. Abarth will limit this special 695 Biposto to just 133 examples – the company's number of historic records. They all wear Modena Yellow bodies with Tar Cold Grey trim and an enameled badge. The interior also features a numbered plaque. Beyond these aesthetic tweaks, Abarth sticks with the high-output powertrain of the standard 695 Biposto: a 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder sends 190 horsepower to the front wheels through a mechanical locking differential. An Akrapovic exhaust provides great sound, too. Compared to a normal Fiat 500 Abarth, the weight of the Biposto twins drops to 2,198 pounds thanks in part to the removal of the rear seats. The combination of more power and fewer pounds lets the hatchback reach 62 miles per hour in 5.9 seconds and a top speed of 143 mph. Brembo brakes slow things down. Inside, Sabelt buckets with carbon shells hold the two occupants tight with four-point harnesses. Like the standard 695 Biposto, we don't expect the company to offer the Record in the US. They're rather expensive across the pond; The UK press release shows a price there at the current equivalent of $55,680. Related Video: ABARTH ANNOUNCES LIMITED EDITION 695 BIPOSTO RECORD A new, limited edition version of Abarth's stunning 695 biposto, the Record, has just gone on sale, priced GBP36,610 OTR. Just 133 examples of the striking 695 biposto Record will be built for worldwide distribution. An exclusive 'Modena Yellow' finish embellished with 'Tar Cold Grey' trims, enamelled '695 Record' badge on the side and aluminium bonnet are all standard features. This small run of cars – 133 is the number of records held by the Scorpion brand – also feature 18-inch OZ alloy wheels, large Brembo brakes and a throaty Akrapovic exhaust. Inside, there is special instrument panel animation, Sabelt carbon shell seats, four point seatbelts, a cargo net and a unique numbered plate. Based on the sporting, two-seat Abarth 695 biposto, the Record version is powered by the same 190hp 1.4 Turbo T-Jet 16-valve engine.