1979 Alfa Romeo Alfetta Sunroof Coupe on 2040-cars

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Marchionne uses racial epithet to describe what must power future Alfa Romeo models

Sergio Marchionne and his Fiat empire have a lot riding on the US return of the Alfa Romeo brand. The endeavor has been in progress for what feels like a lifetime - certainly for as long as Fiat has had the Chrysler brand under its Italian wing.
It's not surprising that Fiat CEO Marchionne needs a perfect first Alfa to mark a return to America. And here's where things get dicey. Nobody would argue with Marchionne's insistence that Alfa Romeo's be powered by Italian engines - as Marchionne himself is quoted to have said at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show, "There are some things that are well done in Italy."
If not what he said, then, it's how he said it that has eyebrows raised. "I cannot come up with a schlock product, I just won't. I won't put an American engine into that car. With all due respect to my American friends, it needs to be a wop engine." Wait, what's that?

Alfa Romeo 4C La Furiosa revealed by Lapo Elkann's Garage Italia

Visitors to the Dubai Motor Show who stopped by the Alfa Romeo stand were treated to this aesthetically modified 4C created by Garage Italia Customs. To make this particular example stand apart from an "ordinary" Alfa 4C, the customizers cloaked it in a velvet matte-finish red, similar to the original show car. The roof was left in exposed carbon fiber, fading into red, like the engine cover and brake calipers. The trim around the headlights, air vents, and side mirrors has been left in carbon fiber with a thin coat of candy red that leaves the weave exposed. The wheels are painted gold, and the interior is swathed in Alcantara. The creation was made for Alfa Romeo by the customizing firm started by Lapo Elkann. The eccentric brother of Fiat Chrysler chairman John Elkann is himself an heir to the Agnelli empire, and has played a variety of roles in the company - including brand promotion and the creation of the Gucci edition Cinquecento. Alongside fashion house Italia Independent, Lapo founded Garage Italia Customs to apply his unique sense of style and that of his team to models like the Fiat 500, Jeep Renegade, and Maserati Ghibli. Related Video: Milano, November 10th 2015 Garage Italia Customs in Dubai with Alfa Romeo 4C "La Furiosa" On the occasion of the 2015 Dubai International Motor Show, Garage Italia Customs presents a world premiere, La Furiosa, the 4C one-off created for Alfa Romeo. La Furiosa is the result of the meeting between the "Mechanics of Emotions" and the Style Center together with the Maestros of Garage Italia Customs. It is a unique model that combines the high level technical characteristics of this Alfa Romeo and the Tailor Made interventions of the Lapo Elkann team specialists. THE EXTERIORS The stage for the debut of this new creation by Carlo Borromeo - head of the Garage Italia Customs Style Centre – is the Alfa Romeo stand at the Dubai International Motor Show. Hence, La Furiosa is unveiled to the international press next to the Alfa Romeo 510 CV Giulia Quadrifoglio and the latest versions of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio, the Alfa Romeo 4C Coupe and the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider. The aim of the Garage is to create a car which emphasises the 4C wild style with a strong and extraordinary aesthetic impact. Special toned-down painting characterises the external livery.

Next Mazda MX-5 Miata headed for 2015 Chicago debut

Twenty-six years after it was introduced at the 1989 Chicago Auto Show, the much anticipated fourth generation Mazda MX-5 Miata will meet the press at the 2015 Chicago show. A piece in Autocar refines some of the details on the larger, lighter Miata that a Mazda insider has said will be "our best-looking car ever."
The company has relented on the quest for the metric tonne, the 1000-kilogram (2,200-pound) target too difficult to achieve in light of cost constraints. You can still expect it to lose a generous dollop of weight - Autocar says a curb weight of 1,100 kg (2,420 pounds) will still make it the lightest in its class. And Mazda will be stressing a fun driving experience through light weight and a modest amount of naturally-aspirated horsepower. Engine capacities of 1.5 and 2.0 liters are expected. Sounds familiar (and good), right?
The Miata's interpretation of Kodo design will be veer from that found on the Mazda3 and Mazda6, with "very clean and simple" lines marking out "more muscular proportions" and elongated bodywork on a longer wheelbase. A stretched engine bay will make room for the current Skyactiv engine and perhaps the future Skyactiv 2 powerplants, initial reports suggesting there could be a 30-percent increase in fuel economy from the moment it arrives.